The paper is the second of two and shows that (assuming large cardinals) set theory is a tractable (and we dare to say tame) first order theory when formalized in a first order signature with natural predicate symbols for the basic definable concepts of second and third order arithmetic, and appealing to the model-theoretic notions of model completeness and model companionship.
Specifically we use the general framework linking generic absoluteness results to model companionship introduced in the first paper to show that strong forms of Woodin's axiom $(*)$ entail that any theory $T$ extending $\mathsf{ZFC}$ by suitable large cardinal axioms has a model companion $T^*$ with respect to certain signatures $τ$ containing symbols for $Δ_0$-relations and functions, constant symbols for $ω$ and $ω_1$, a predicate symbol for the nonstationary ideal on $ω_1$, symbols for certain lightface definable universally Baire sets.
Moreover $T^*$ is axiomatized by the $Π_2$-sentences $ψ$ for $τ$ such that $T$ proves that $$ L(\mathsf{UB})\models(\mathbb{P}_\max\Vdashψ^{H_{ω_2}}), $$ where $L(\mathsf{UB})$ denotes the smallest transitive model containing the universally Baire sets.
Key to our results is the recent breakthrough of Asperò and Schindler establishing that a strong form of Woodin's axiom $(*)$ follows from $\mathsf{MM}^{++}$.
We show that various tameness assertions about abstract elementary classes imply the existence of large cardinals under mild cardinal arithmetic assumptions.
We show that Shelah's Eventual Categoricity Conjecture follows from the existence of class many strongly compact cardinals. This is the first time the consistency of this conjecture has been proven. We do so by showing that every AEC with $LS(K)$ below a strongly compact cardinal $κ$ is $< κ$ tame and applying the categoricity transfer of Grossberg and VanDieren. These techniques also apply to measurable and weakly compact cardinals and we prove similar tameness results under those hypotheses. We isolate a dual property to tameness, called \emph{type shortness}, and show that it follows simila…
We provide comprehensive, level-by-level characterizations of large cardinals, in the range from weakly compact to strongly compact, by closure properties of powerful images of accessible functors. In the process, we show that these properties are also equivalent to various forms of tameness for abstract elementary classes. This systematizes and extends results of [BU17], [BTR16], [Lie18], and [LR16].
Assuming the existence of a monster model, tameness and continuity of nonsplitting in an abstract elementary class (AEC), we extend known superstability results: let $μ>LS({\bf K})$ be a regular stability cardinal and let $χ$ be the local character of $μ$-nonsplitting. The following holds: 1. When $μ$-nonforking is restricted to $(μ,\geqχ)$-limit models ordered by universal extensions, it enjoys invariance, monotonicity, uniqueness, existence, extension and continuity. It also has local character $χ$. This generalizes Vasey's result which assumed $μ$-superstability to obtain same properties bu…
The paper is a first of two and aims to show that (assuming large cardinals) set theory is a tractable (and we dare to say tame) first order theory when formalized in a first order signature with natural predicate symbols for the basic definable concepts of second and third order arithmetic, and appealing to the model-theoretic notions of model completeness and model companionship. Specifically we develop a general framework linking generic absoluteness results to model companionship and show that (with the required care in details) a $Π_2$-property formalized in an appropriate language for se…
We show that $\beth_{(2^{\operatorname{LS}({\bf K})})^+}$ is the lower bound to the Hanf numbers for the length of the order property and for stability in stable abstract elementary classes (AECs). Our examples satisfy the joint embedding property, no maximal model, $(<\aleph_0)$-tameness but not necessarily the amalgamation property. We also define variations on the order and syntactic order properties by allowing the index set to be linearly ordered rather than well-ordered. Combining with Shelah's stability theorem, we deduce that our examples can have the order property up to any $μ<\beth_…
For first-order expansions of the field of real numbers, nondefinability of the set of natural numbers is equivalent to equality of topological and Assouad dimension on images of closed definable sets under definable continuous maps.
This paper is part of a program initiated by Saharon Shelah to extend the model theory of first order logic to the non-elementary setting of abstract elementary classes (AECs). An abstract elementary class is a semantic generalization of the class of models of a complete first order theory with the elementary substructure relation. We examine the symmetry property of splitting (previously isolated by the first author) in AECs with amalgamation that satisfy a local definition of superstability. The key results are a downward transfer of symmetry and a deduction of symmetry from failure of the o…
We first show that the projection image of a discrete definable set is again discrete for an arbitrary definably complete locally o-minimal structure. This fact together with the results in a previous paper implies tame dimension theory and decomposition theorem into good-shaped definable subsets called quasi-special submanifolds. Using this fact, in the latter part of this paper, we investigate definably complete locally o-minimal expansions of ordered groups when the restriction of multiplication to an arbitrary bounded open box is definable. Similarly to o-minimal expansions of ordered fiel…
We complete the characterization of the possible spectrum of regular ultrafilters D on a set I, where the spectrum is the set of infinite cardinals which are ultraproducts of finite cardinals modulo D.
We make use of some observations on the core model, for example assuming $V=L [ E ]$, and that there is no inner model with a Woodin cardinal, and $M$ is an inner model with the same cardinals as $V$, then $V=M$. We conclude in this latter situation that "$x=\mathcal{P} ( y )$" is $Σ_{1} ( Card )$ where $Card$ is a predicate true of just the infinite cardinals. It is known that this implies the validities of second order logic are reducible to $V_I$ the set of validities of the Härtig quantifier logic. We draw some further conclusions on the Löwenheim number, $\ell_{I}$ of the latter logic: th…
We show that the statement "every universally Baire set of reals has the perfect set property" is equiconsistent modulo ZFC with the existence of a cardinal that we call a virtually Shelah cardinal. These cardinals resemble Shelah cardinals but are much weaker: if $0^\sharp$ exists then every Silver indiscernible is virtually Shelah in $L$. We also show that the statement $\text{uB} = {\bfΔ}^1_2$, where $\text{uB}$ is the pointclass of all universally Baire sets of reals, is equiconsistent modulo ZFC with the existence of a $Σ_2$-reflecting virtually Shelah cardinal.
We study consequences of stationary and semi-stationary set reflection. We show that the semi stationary reflection principle implies the Singular Cardinal Hypothesis, the failure of weak square principle, etc. We also consider two cardinal tree properties introduced recently by Weiss and prove that they follow from stationary and semi stationary set reflection augmented with a weak form of Martin's Axiom. We also show that there are some differences between the two reflection principles which suggest that stationary set reflection is analogous to supercompactness whereas semi-stationary set r…
The additivity spectrum ADD(I) of an ideal I is the set of all regular cardinals kappa such that there is an increasing chain {A_alpha:alpha<kappa\} in the ideal I such that the union of the chain is not in I. We investigate which set A of regular cardinals can be the additivity spectrum of certain ideals. Assume that I=B or I=N, where B denotes the sigma-ideal generated by the compact subsets of the Baire space omega^omega, and N is the ideal of the null sets. For countable sets we give a full characterization of the additivity spectrum of I: a non-empty countable set A of uncountable regular…
Let P be the direct product of countably many copies of the additive group Z of integers. We study, from a set-theoretic point of view, those subgroups of P for which all homomorphisms to Z annihilate all but finitely many of the standard unit vectors. Specifically, we relate the smallest possible size of such a subgroup to several of the standard cardinal characteristics of the continuum. We also study some related properties and cardinals, both group-theoretic and set-theoretic. One of the set-theoretic properties and the associated cardinal are combinatorially natural, independently of any …
A stationary subset $S$ of a regular uncountable cardinal $κ$ {\it reflects fully} at regular cardinals if for every stationary set $T \subseteq κ$ of higher order consisting of regular cardinals there exists an $α\in T$ such that $S \cap α$ is a stationary subset of $α$. {\it Full Reflection} states that every stationary set reflects fully at regular cardinals. We will prove that under a slightly weaker assumption than $κ$ having Mitchell order $κ^{++}$ it is consistent that Full Reflection holds at every $λ\leq κ$ and $κ$ is measurable.
We discuss how singular can cardinals be in absence of the axiom of choice. We show that, contrasting with known negative consistency results (of Gitik and others), certain positive results are provable. Then we pose some problems.
We give sufficient conditions for a first order expansion of the real line to define the standard model of the monadic second order theory of one successor. Such an expansion does not satisfy any of the combinatorial tameness properties defined by Shelah, such as $\textrm{NIP}$ or even $\textrm{NTP}_2$. We use this to deduce the first general results about definable sets in $\textrm{NTP}_2$ expansions of $(\mathbb{R},<,+)$.
The purpose of this paper is to provide an introductory overview of the large cardinal hierarchy in set theory. By a large cardinal, we mean any cardinal $κ$ whose existence is strong enough of an assumption to prove the consistency of ZFC. We assume basic familiarity with set theory, model theory, and the ZFC axioms, though certain concepts will be reviewed as necessary. We attempt to clarify the vast landscape of the higher infinite, motivating the definitions of some (but certainly not all) of the known large cardinals. We also discuss connections with the Continuum Hypothesis and provide s…
For a set $M$, $\operatorname{fin}(M)$ denotes the set of all finite subsets of $M$, $M^2$ denotes the Cartesian product $M\times M$, $[M]^2$ denotes the set of all $2$-element subsets of $M$, and $\operatorname{seq}^{1-1}(M)$ denotes the set of all finite sequences without repetition which can be formed with elements of $M$. Furthermore, for a set $S$, let $|S|$ denote the cardinality of $S$. Under the assumption that the four cardinalities $|[M]^2|$, $|M^2|$, $|\operatorname{fin}(M)|$, $|\operatorname{seq}^{1-1}(M)|$ are pairwise distinct and pairwise comparable in ZF, there are six possible…
We study the structure of effective cardinals in the nonstandard set universe of Hrbacek set theory HST. Some results resemble those known in descriptive set theory in the domain of Borel reducibility of equivalence relations.
For a cardinal $\mathfrak{a}$, let $\mathrm{fin}(\mathfrak{a})$ be the cardinality of the set of all finite subsets of a set which is of cardinality $\mathfrak{a}$. It is proved without the aid of the axiom of choice that for all infinite cardinals $\mathfrak{a}$ and all natural numbers $n$, \[ 2^{\mathrm{fin}(\mathfrak{a})^n}=2^{[\mathrm{fin}(\mathfrak{a})]^n}. \] On the other hand, it is proved that the following statement is consistent with $\mathsf{ZF}$: there exists an infinite cardinal $\mathfrak{a}$ such that \[ 2^{\mathrm{fin}(\mathfrak{a})}<2^{\mathrm{fin}(\mathfrak{a})^2}<2^{\mathrm{…
We study several cardinal characteristics of closed graphs G on compact metrizable spaces. In particular, we address the question when it is consistent for the bounding number to be strictly smaller than the smallest size of a set not covered by countably many compact G-anticliques. We also provide a descriptive set theoretic characterization of the class of analytic graphs with countable coloring number.
We argue against Foreman's proposal to settle the continuum hypothesis and other classical independent questions via the adoption of generic large cardinal axioms.
Large cardinals arising from the existence of arbitrarily long end elementary extension chains over models of set theory are studied here. In particular, we show that the large cardinals obtained that way (`Unfoldable cardinals') behave as a `boundary' between properties consistent with `V=L' and existence of indiscernibles. We also provide an `embedding characterisation' of the unfoldable cardinals and study their preservation and destruction by various different forcings.
If we assume the axiom of choice, then every two cardinal numbers are comparable. In the absence of the axiom of choice, this is no longer so. For a few cardinalities related to an arbitrary infinite set, we will give all the possible relationships between them, where possible means that the relationship is consistent with the axioms of set theory. Further we investigate the relationships between some other cardinal numbers in specific permutation models and give some results provable without using the axiom of choice.
A transitive model $M$ of ZFC is called a ground if the universe $V$ is a set forcing extension of $M$. We show that the grounds of $V$ are downward set-directed. Consequently, we establish some fundamental theorems on the forcing method and the set-theoretic geology. For instance, (1) the mantle, the intersection of all grounds, must be a model of ZFC. (2) $V$ has only set many grounds if and only if the mantle is a ground. We also show that if the universe has some very large cardinal, then the mantle must be a ground.
While many inner model theoretic combinatorial principles are incompatible with large cardinal axioms, on some rare occasions, large cardinals actually imply that the structure of the universe of sets is analogous to the canonical inner models. This note provides two new instances of this phenomenon.
One of the numerous characterizations of a Ramsey cardinal kappa involves the existence of certain types of elementary embeddings for transitive sets of size κsatisfying a large fragment of ZFC. We introduce new large cardinal axioms generalizing the Ramsey elementary embeddings characterization and show that they form a natural hierarchy between weakly compact cardinals and measurable cardinals. These new axioms serve to further our knowledge about the elementary embedding properties of smaller large cardinals, in particular those still consistent with V=L.
Jech proved that every partially ordered set can be embedded into the cardinals of some model of $ZF$. We extend this result to show that every partially ordered set can be embedded into the cardinals of some model of $ZF+DC_{<κ}$ for any regular $κ$. We use this theorem to show that for all $κ$, the assumption of $DC_κ$ does not entail that there are no decreasing chains of cardinals. We also show how to extend the result to and embed into the cardinals a proper class which is definable over the ground model. We use this extension to give a large cardinals-free proof of independence of the we…
By Easton's theorem one can force the exponential function on regular cardinals to take rather arbitrary cardinal values provided monotonicity and Koenig's lemma are respected. In models without choice we employ a "surjective" version of the exponential function. We then prove a choiceless Easton's theorem: one can force the surjective exponential function on all infinite cardinals to take arbitrary cardinal values, provided monotonicity and Cantor's theorem are satisfied, irrespective of cofinalities.
We define a potentialist system of ZF-structures, that is, a collection of possible worlds in the language of ZF connected by a binary accessibility relation, achieving a potentialist account of the full background set-theoretic universe $V$. The definition involves Berkeley cardinals, the strongest known large cardinal axioms, inconsistent with the Axiom of Choice. In fact, as background theory we assume just ZF. It turns out that the propositional modal assertions which are valid at every world of our system are exactly those in the modal theory S4.2. Moreover, we characterize the worlds sat…
We continue our investigation =of Shelah's interpretability orders $\trianglelefteq^*_κ$ as well as the new orders $\trianglelefteq^\times_κ$. In particular, we give streamlined proofs of the existence of minimal unstable, unsimple and nonlow theories in these orders, and we give a similar analysis of the hypergraph examples $T_{n, k}$ of Hrushovski. We also prove that if $\mathcal{B}$ is a complete Boolean algebra with the $λ$-c.c., then no nonprincipal ultrafilter on $\mathcal{U}$ $λ^+$-saturates any unsimple theory.
It is known that the set of possible cofinalities $\mathrm{pcf}(A)$ has good properties if $A$ is a progressive interval of regular cardinals. In this paper, we give an interval of regular cardinals $A$ such that $\mathrm{pcf}(A)$ has no good properties in the presense of a measurable cardinal, or in generic extensions by Prikry-type forcing.
In this paper, we consider certain cardinals in ZF (set theory without AC, the Axiom of Choice). In ZFC (set theory with AC), given any cardinals C and D, either C <= D or D <= C. However, in ZF this is no longer so. For a given infinite set A consider Seq(A), the set of all sequences of A without repetition. We compare |Seq(A)|, the cardinality of this set, to |P(A)|, the cardinality of the power set of A. What is provable about these two cardinals in ZF? The main result of this paper is that ZF |- for all A: |Seq(A)| not= |P(A)| and we show that this is the best possible result. Furthermore,…
For a set $x$, let $\mathcal{S}(x)$ be the set of all permutations of $x$. We study several aspects of this notion in $\mathsf{ZF}$. The main results are as follows: (1) $\mathsf{ZF}$ proves that for all sets $x$, if $\mathcal{S}(x)$ is Dedekind infinite, then there are no finite-to-one maps from $\mathcal{S}(x)$ into $\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{fin}}(x)$, where $\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{fin}}(x)$ is the set of all permutations of $x$ which move only finitely many elements. (2) $\mathsf{ZF}$ proves that for all sets $x$, the cardinality of $\mathcal{S}(x)$ is strictly greater than that of $[x]^2$. (3) I…
We study first-order expansions of the reals which do not define the set of natural numbers. We also show that several stronger notions of tameness are equivalent to each others.
We recently formulated a new large-cardinal axiom of strength intermediate between a totally indescribable cardinal and an $ω$-Erdős cardinal, positing the existence of what we called an "extremely reflective cardinal", and we showed that the property of being extremely reflective was in fact equivalent to the property of being remarkable, and we sought to argue that this axiom should be seen as intrinsically justified. This built on related earlier work in which the notion of an $α$-reflective cardinal was formulated. Then Welch and Roberts put forward a family of reflection principles, Welch…
We investigate the structure of the lattice of clones on an infinite set X. We first observe that ultrafilters naturally induce clones; this yields a simple proof of Rosenberg's theorem: "there are 2^2^kappa many maximal (=precomplete) clones on a set of size kappa." The clones we construct here do not contain all unary functions. We then investigate clones that do contain all unary functions. Using a strong negative partition theorem we show that for many cardinals kappa there are 2^2^kappa many such clones on a set of size kappa. Finally, we show that on a weakly compact cardinal there are e…
