The published version contains some typographical errors and was printed on a machine that failed to distinguish boldface and lightface capital Greek letters
We classify many cardinal characteristics of the continuum according to the complexity, in the sense of descriptive set theory, of their definitions. The simplest characteristics (boldface Sigma^0_2 and, under suitable restrictions, Pi^0_2) are shown to have pleasant properties, related to Baire category. We construct models of set theory where (unrestricted) boldface Pi^0_2-characteristics behave quite chaotically and no new characteristics appear at higher complexity levels. We also discuss some characteristics associated with partition theorems and we present, in an appendix, a simplified proof of Shelah's theorem that the dominating number is less than or equal to the independence number.
Strong reflection principles with the reflection cardinal $\leq\aleph_1$ or $<2^{\aleph_0}$ imply that the size of the continuum is either $\aleph_1$ or $\aleph_2$ or very large. Thus, the stipulation, that a strong reflection principle should hold, seems to support the trichotomy on the possible size of the continuum. In this article, we examine the situation with the reflection principles and related notions of generic large cardinals.
We prove some consistency results about b(lambda) and d(lambda), which are natural generalisations of the cardinal invariants of the continuum b and d. We also define invariants b_cl(lambda) and d_cl(lambda), and prove that almost always b(lambda) = b_cl(lambda) and d(lambda)=d_cl(lambda)
We extend the applications of the techniques used in Arch Math Logic 52:261-278, 2013, to present various examples of consistency results where some cardinal invariants of the continuum take arbitrary regular values with the size of the continuum being bigger than $\aleph_2$.
Given a Woodin cardinal $δ$, I show that if $F$ is any Easton function with $F"δ\subseteqδ$ and $\GCH$ holds, then there is a cofinality-preserving forcing extension in which $2^γ= F(γ)$ for each regular cardinal $γ<δ$, and in which $δ$ remains Woodin. I also present a new example in which forcing a certain behavior of the continuum function on the regular cardinals, while preserving a given large cardinal, requires large cardinal strength beyond that of the original large cardinal under consideration. Specifically, I prove that the existence of a $λ$-supercompact cardinal $κ$ such that $\GCH$…
Under large cardinal hypotheses beyond the Kunen inconsistency -- hypotheses so strong as to contradict the Axiom of Choice -- we solve several variants of the generalized continuum problem and identify structural features of the levels $V_α$ of the cumulative hierarchy of sets that are eventually periodic, alternating according to the parity of the ordinal $α$. For example, if there is an elementary embedding from the universe of sets to itself, then for sufficiently large ordinals $α$, the supremum of the lengths of all wellfounded relations on $V_α$ is a strong limit cardinal if and only if…
We discuss the Borel Tukey ordering on cardinal invariants of the continuum. We observe that this ordering makes sense for a larger class of cardinals than has previously been considered. We then provide a Borel version of a large portion of van Douwen's diagram. For instance, although the usual proof of the inequality $\mathfrak p\leq\mathfrak b$ does not provide a Borel Tukey map, we show that in fact there is one. Afterwards, we revisit a result of Mildenberger concerning a generalization of the unsplitting and splitting numbers. Lastly, we show that the inclusion ordering on $\mathcal P(ω)…
We show that from a supercompact cardinal κ, there is a forcing extension V[G] that has a symmetric inner model N in which ZF + not AC holds, κ and κ^+ are both singular, and the continuum function at κ can be precisely controlled, in the sense that the final model contains a sequence of distinct subsets of κ of length equal to any predetermined ordinal. We also show that the above situation can be collapsed to obtain a model of ZF + not AC_ω in which either (1) aleph_1 and aleph_2 are both singular and the continuum function at aleph_1 can be precisely controlled, or (2) aleph_ω and aleph_{ω+…
An interval algebra is a Boolean algebra which is isomorphic to the algebra of finite unions of half-open intervals, of a linearly ordered set. An interval algebra is hereditary if every subalgebra is an interval algebra. We answer a question of M. Bekkali and S. Todorčević, by showing that it is consistent that every $σ$-centered interval algebra of size $\mathfrak{b}$ is hereditary. We also show that there is, in ZFC, an hereditary interval algebra of cardinality $\aleph_1.$
We discuss two general aspects of the theory of cardinal characteristics of the continuum, especially of proofs of inequalities between such characteristics. The first aspect is to express the essential content of these proofs in a way that makes sense even in models where the inequalities hold trivially (e.g., because the continuum hypothesis holds). For this purpose, we use a Borel version of Vojtas's theory of generalized Galois-Tukey connections. The second aspect is to analyze a sequential structure often found in proofs of inequalities relating one characteristic to the minimum (or maxim…
We prove two ZFC theorems about cardinal invariants above the continuum which are in sharp contrast to well-known facts about these same invariants at the continuum. It is shown that for an uncountable regular cardinal $κ$, $\mathfrak{b}(κ) = κ^{+}$ implies $\mathfrak{a}(κ) = κ^{+}$. This improves an earlier result of Blass, Hyttinen, and Zhang. It is also shown that if $κ\geq {\beth}_ω$ is an uncountable regular cardinal, then $\mathfrak{d}(κ) \leq \mathfrak{r}(κ)$. This result partially dualizes an earlier theorem of the authors.
Motivated by results of Bagaria, Magidor and Väänänen, we study characterizations of large cardinal properties through reflection principles for classes of structures. More specifically, we aim to characterize notions from the lower end of the large cardinal hierarchy through the principle $\mathrm{SR}^-$ introduced by Bagaria and Väänänen. Our results isolate a narrow interval in the large cardinal hierarchy that is bounded from below by total indescribability and from above by subtleness, and contains all large cardinals that can be characterized through the validity of the principle $\mathr…
We prove that the Generalized Continuum Hypothesis holds above a supercompact cardinal assuming the Ultrapower Axiom, an abstract comparison principle motivated by inner model theory at the level of supercompact cardinals.
We argue against Foreman's proposal to settle the continuum hypothesis and other classical independent questions via the adoption of generic large cardinal axioms.
We prove that a variety of generalized cardinal characteristics, including meeting numbers, the reaping number, and the dominating number, satisfy an analogue of the Galvin-Hajnal theorem, and hence also of Silver's theorem, at singular cardinals of uncountable cofinality.
For a free ultrafilter U on omega we study several cardinal characteristics which describe part of the combinatorial structure of U. We provide various consistency results; e.g. we show how to force simultaneously many characters and many pi --characters. We also investigate two ideals on the Baire space omega^omega naturally related to U and calculate cardinal coefficients of these ideals in terms of cardinal characteristics of the underlying ultrafilter.
We prove that consistently, cov($\mathcal{M})< λ_\mathbf{0} < λ_\mathbf{1} < λ_\mathbf{\infty} < 2^{\aleph_0}$, where $λ_\mathbf{0}$ denotes the weak Borel chromatic number of the Kechris-Solecki-Todorčević graph $\mathbb{G}_0$, that is, the minimal cardinality of a $\mathbb{G}_0$-independent Borel covering of $2^ω$, while $λ_\mathbf{1}$ and $λ_\infty$ are the corresponding invariants of the graph $\mathbb{G}_1$ and the simple graph associated with the equivalence relation $E_0$.
Every conditionally convergent series of real numbers has a divergent subseries. How many subsets of the natural numbers are needed so that every conditionally convergent series diverges on the subseries corresponding to one of these sets? The answer to this question is defined to be the subseries number, a new cardinal characteristic of the continuum. This cardinal is bounded below by $\aleph_1$ and above by the cardinality of the continuum, but it is not provably equal to either. We define three natural variants of the subseries number, and compare them with each other, with their correspond…
We prove the consistency of the statement $\mathfrak{u}_{\aleph_ω}<2^{\aleph_ω}$. We show that the consistency strength of this statement is exactly a measurable cardinal $μ$ so that $o(μ)=μ^{++}$.
Given a forcing notion $P$ that forces certain values to several classical cardinal characteristics of the reals, we show how we can compose $P$ with a collapse (of a cardinal $λ>κ$ to $κ$) such that the composition still forces the previous values to these characteristics. We also show how to force distinct values to $\mathfrak m$, $\mathfrak p$ and $\mathfrak h$ and also keeping all the values in Cichoń's diagram distint, using the Boolean Ultrapower method of arXiv:1708.03691 . (In arXiv:2006.09826 , the same was done for the newer Cichoń's Maximum construction, which avoids large cardinals…
In this note, we relax the hypothesis of the main results in Kellner-Shelah-Tǎnasie's "Another ordering of the ten cardinal characteristics in Cichoń's diagram".
Let $\mathcal{E}$ be the $σ$-ideal generated by the closed measure zero sets of reals. We use an ultrafilter-extendable matrix iteration of ccc posets to force that, for $\mathcal{E}$, their associated cardinal characteristics (i.e.\ additivity, covering, uniformity and cofinality) are pairwise different.
We introduce the concept of inverse powerset by adding three axioms to the Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory. This extends the Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory with a new type of set which is motivated by an intuitive meaning and interesting applications. We present different ways to extend the definition of cardinality and show that one implies the continuum hypothesis while another implies the negation of the continuum hypothesis. We will also explore the idea of empty sets of different cardinalities which could be seen as the empty counterpart of Cantor's theorem for infinite sets.
Much recent work in cardinal characteristics has focused on generalizing results about $ω$ to uncountable cardinals by studying analogues of classical cardinal characteristics on the generalized Baire and Cantor spaces $κ^κ$ and $2^κ$. In this note I look at generalizations to other function spaces, focusing particularly on the space of functions $f:ω^ω\to ω^ω$. By considering classical cardinal invariants on Baire space in this setting I derive a number of "higher dimensional" analogues of such cardinals, ultimately introducing 18 new cardinal invariants, alongside a framework that allows for…
Combining creature forcing approaches from arXiv:1003.3425 and arXiv:1402.0367, we show that, under CH, there is a proper $ω^ω$-bounding poset with $\aleph_2$-cc that forces continuum many pairwise different cardinal characteristics, parametrised by reals, for each one of the following six types: uniformity and covering numbers of Yorioka ideals as well as both kinds of localisation and anti-localisation cardinals, respectively. This answers several open questions from arXiv:1805.11005.
A topological space $X$ is called a $Q$-space if every subset of $X$ is of type $F_σ$ in $X$. For $i\in\{1,2,3\}$ let $\mathfrak q_i$ be the smallest cardinality of a second-countable $T_i$-space which is not a $Q$-space. It is clear that $\mathfrak q_1\le\mathfrak q_2\le\mathfrak q_3$. For $i\in\{1,2\}$ we prove that $\mathfrak q_i$ is equal to the smallest cardinality of a second-countable $T_i$-space which is not perfect. Also we prove that $\mathfrak q_3$ is equal to the smallest cardinality of a submetrizable space, which is not a $Q$-space. Martin's Axiom implies that $\mathfrak q_i=\mat…
A ccc-generically supercompact cardinal $κ$ can be smaller than or equal to the continuum. On the other hand, such a cardinal $κ$ still satisfies diverse largeness properties, like that it is a stationary limit of ccc-generically measurable cardinals (Theorem 4.1). This is in a strong contrast to $\cal P$-generically supercompact cardinals for the class $\cal P$ of all $σ$-closed posets, which can be $\aleph_n$ for any n>1.
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 function f from reals to reals (f:R->R) is almost continuous (in the sense of Stallings) iff every open set in the plane which contains the graph of f contains the graph of a continuous function. Natkaniec showed that for any family F of continuum many real functions there exists g:R->R such that f+g is almost continuous for every f in F. Let AA be the smallest cardinality of a family F of real functions for which there is no g:R->R with the property that f+g is almost continuous for every f in F. Thus Natkaniec showed that AA is strictly greater than the continuum. He asked if anything more…
We provide a model where u(κ) < 2^κ for a supercompact cardinal κ. Garti and Shelah have provided a sketch of how to obtain such a model by modifying the construction in a paper of Dzamonja and Shelah; we provide here a complete proof using a different modification and further study the values of other natural generalizations of classical cardinal characteristics in our model. For this purpose we generalize some standard facts that hold in the countable case as well as some classical forcing notions and their properties.
We show that it is consistent with ordinary set theory ZFC and the generalized continuum hypothesis that there exist two separable abelian groups of cardinality aleph_1 which are filtration equivalent and one is a Whitehead group but the other is not. This solves one of the open problems of Eklof and Mekler.
Continuing the previous paper, we study the Strong Downward Löwenheim-Skolem Theorems (SDLSs) of the stationary logic and their variations. It has been shown that the SDLS for the ordinary stationary logic with weak second-order parameters down to $<\aleph_2$ is equivalent to the conjunction of CH and Cox's Diagonal Reflection Principle for internally clubness. We show that the SDLS for the stationary logic without weak second-order parameters down to $<2^{\aleph_0}$ implies that the size of the continuum is $\aleph_2$. In contrast, an internal interpretation of the stationary logic can satisf…
Boykin and Jackson recently introduced a property of countable Borel equivalence relations called Borel boundedness, which they showed is closely related to the union problem for hyperfinite equivalence relations. In this paper, we introduce a family of properties of countable Borel equivalence relations which correspond to combinatorial cardinal characteristics of the continuum in the same way that Borel boundedness corresponds to the bounding number $\mathfrak b$. We analyze some of the basic behavior of these properties, showing for instance that the property corresponding to the splitting …
We investigate the behavior of cardinal characteristics of the reals under extensions that do not add new ${<}κ$-sequences (for some regular $κ$). As an application, we show that consistently the following cardinal characteristics can be different: The ("independent") characteristics in Cichoń's diagram, plus $\aleph_1<\mathfrak m<\mathfrak p<\mathfrak h<\mathrm{add}(\mathcal{N})$. (So we get thirteen different values, including $\aleph_1$ and continuum). We also give constructions to alternatively separate other MA-numbers (instead of $\mathfrak m$), namely: MA for $k$-Knaster from MA for $k+…
We present an analogy between cardinal characteristics from set theory and highness properties from computability theory, which specify a sense in which a Turing oracle is computationally strong. While this analogy was first studied explicitly by Rupprecht in his PhD thesis, many prior results can be viewed from this perspective. After a comprehensive survey of the analogy for characteristics from Cichon's diagram, we extend it to Kurtz randomness and the analogue of the Specker-Eda number.
Let $\mathcal{SN}$ be the strong measure zero $σ$-ideal. We prove a result providing bounds for $\mathrm{cof}(\mathcal{SN})$ which implies Yorioka's characterization of the cofinality of the strong measure zero. In addition, we use forcing matrix iterations to construct a model of ZFC that satisfies $\mathrm{add}(\mathcal{SN})=\mathrm{cov}(\mathcal{SN})<\mathrm{non}(\mathcal{SN})<\mathrm{cof}(\mathcal{SN})$.
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…
A function $f:X\to Y$ between topological spaces is called $σ$-$continuous$ (resp. $\barσ$-$continuous$) if there exists a (closed) cover $\{X_n\}_{n\inω}$ of $X$ such that for every $n\inω$ the restriction $f{\restriction}X_n$ is continuous. By $\mathfrak c_σ$ (resp. $\mathfrak c_{\barσ}$) we denote the largest cardinal $κ\le\mathfrak c$ such that every function $f:X\to\mathbb R$ defined on a subset $X\subset\mathbb R$ of cardinality $|X|<κ$ is $σ$-continuous (resp. $\barσ$-continuous). It is clear that $ω_1\le\mathfrak c_{\barσ}\le\mathfrak c_σ\le\mathfrak c$. We prove that $\mathfrak p\le\m…
We show: There are pairs of universes V_1 subseteq V_2 and there is a notion of forcing P in V_1 such that the change mentioned in the title occurs when going from V_1[G] to V_2[G] for a P-generic filter G over V_2. We use forcing iterations with partial memories. Moreover, we implement highly transitive automorphism groups into the forcing orders.
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.
We prove from the existence of a Mahlo cardinal the consistency of the statement that $2^ω= ω_3$ holds and every stationary subset of $ω_2 \cap \mathrm{cof}(ω)$ reflects to an ordinal less than $ω_2$ with cofinality $ω_1$.
We show that in Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory without the Axiom of Choice a surjectively modified continuum function $θ(κ)$ can take almost arbitrary values for all infinite cardinals. This choiceless version of Easton's Theorem is in sharp contrast to the situation in ZFC, where for singular cardinals $κ$, the value of $2^κ$ is strongly influenced by the behaviour of the continuum function below. Our construction can roughly be described as follows: In a ground model $V \models ZFC + GCH$ with a "reasonable" function $F: Card \rightarrow Card$ on the infinite cardinals, a class forcing ${\mathb…
We use a (countable support) creature construction to show that consistently \[ \mathfrak d=\aleph_1= \text{cov}(\text{NULL}) < \text{non}(\text{MEAGER}) < \text{non}(\text{NULL}) < \text{cof}(\text{NULL}) < 2^{\aleph_0}. \] The same method shows the consistency of \[ \mathfrak d=\aleph_1= \text{cov}(\text{NULL}) < \text{non}(\text{NULL}) < \text{non}(\text{MEAGER}) < \text{cof}(\text{NULL}) < 2^{\aleph_0}. \]
Starting with infinitely many supercompact cardinals, we show that the tree property at every cardinal $\aleph_n$, $1 < n <ω$, is consistent with an arbitrary continuum function below $\aleph_ω$ which satisfies $2^{\aleph_n} > \aleph_{n+1}$, $n<ω$. Thus the tree property has no provable effect on the continuum function below $\aleph_ω$ except for the restriction that the tree property at $κ^{++}$ implies $2^κ>κ^+$ for every infinite $κ$.
