Related papers: ZFC without power set II: Reflection strikes back
I introduce a new family of axioms extending ZFC set theory, the $\Sigma_n$-correct forcing axioms. These assert roughly that whenever a forcing name $\dot{a}$ can be forced by a poset in some forcing class $\Gamma$ to have some $\Sigma_n$…
It is known that the assumption that ``GCH first fails at \aleph_{\omega}'' leads to large cardinals in ZFC. Gitik and Koepke have demonstrated that this is not so in ZF: namely there is a generic cardinal-preserving extension of L (or any…
Harvey Friedman, in his remarkable paper Finite functions and the necessary use of large cardinals, Ann. Math. 148:803-893, 1998 and in a technical report, Applications of large cardinals to graph theory, Ohio State University, 1997,…
We investigate, in ZFC, the behavior of abstract elementary classes (AECs) categorical in many successive small cardinals. We prove for example that a universal $\mathbb{L}_{\omega_1, \omega}$ sentence categorical on an end segment of…
We consider mainly the following version of set theory:"ZF + DC and for every $\lambda,\lambda^{\aleph_0}$ is well ordered", our thesis is that this is a reasonable set theory, e.g. much can be said. In particular, we prove that for a…
We provide, for any regular uncountable cardinal $\kappa$, a new argument for Pincus' result on the consistency of $\mathrm{ZF}$ with the higher dependent choice principle $\mathrm{DC}_{<\kappa}$ and the ordering principle in the presence…
We study the notion of non-trivial elementary embeddings $j : V \rightarrow V$ under the assumption that $V$ satisfies $ZFC$ without Power Set but with the Collection Scheme. We show that no such embedding can exist under the additional…
We extend a transitive model V of ZFC + GCH cardinal preservingly to a model N of ZF + "GCH holds below Alef_omega" + "there is a surjection from the power set of Alef_omega onto lambda" where lambda is an arbitrarily high fixed cardinal in…
We investigate the provability of classical combinatorial theorems in ZF. Using combinatorial arguments, we establish the following results for each infinite cardinal ${\kappa}\in On$, (1) ${\kappa}^+\to ({\kappa},{\omega}+1)$, (2) any…
We examine the Zermelo Fraenkel set theory with Choice (ZFC) enhanced by one of the (structural) reflection principles down to a small cardinal and/or Recurrence Axioms defined below. The strongest forms of reflection principles spotlight…
We show that there is a $\beta$-model of second-order arithmetic in which the choice scheme holds, but the dependent choice scheme fails for a $\Pi^1_2$-assertion, confirming a conjecture of Stephen Simpson. We obtain as a corollary that…
We show relative to strong hypotheses that patterns of compact cardinals in the universe, where a compact cardinal is one which is either strongly compact or supercompact, can be virtually arbitrary. Specifically, we prove if V is a model…
The essentially non-free spectrum is the class of uncountable cardinals kappa in which there is an essentially non-free algebra of cardinality kappa which is almost free. In L, the essentially non-free spectrum of a variety is entirely…
We define a certain finite set in set theory $\{x\mid\varphi(x)\}$ and prove that it exhibits a universal extension property: it can be any desired particular finite set in the right set-theoretic universe and it can become successively any…
This dissertation surveys several topics in the general areas of iterated forcing, infinite combinatorics and set theory of the reals. There are two parts. In the first half I consider alternative versions of the Cicho\'n diagram. First I…
We demonstrate that theories $\text{Z}^-$, $\text{ZF}^-$, $\text{ZFC}^-$ (minus means the absence of the Power Set axiom) and $\text{PA}_2$, $\text{PA}_2^-$ (minus means the absence of the Countable Choice schema) are equiconsistent to each…
This article explores the model-dependent nature of set cardinality, emphasizing that cardinality is not absolute but varies across different axiomatic frameworks. Although Cantor's diagonal argument shows the real numbers are…
Our results in this paper increase the model-theoretic precision of a widely used method for building ultrafilters, and so advance the general problem of constructing ultrafilters whose ultrapowers have a precise degree of saturation. We…
Given an uncountable cardinal $\kappa$, we consider the question of whether subsets of the power set of $\kappa$ that are usually constructed with the help of the Axiom of Choice are definable by $\Sigma_1$-formulas that only use the…
According to a theorem due to Kenneth Kunen, under ZFC, there is no ordinal $\lambda$ and non-trivial elementary embedding $j:V_{\lambda+2}\to V_{\lambda+2}$. His proof relied on the Axiom of Choice (AC), and no proof from ZF alone has been…