All Questions
Tagged with independence-results set-theory
16 questions
297
votes
34
answers
53k
views
What are some reasonable-sounding statements that are independent of ZFC?
Every now and then, somebody will tell me about a question. When I start thinking about it, they say, "actually, it's undecidable in ZFC."
For example, suppose $A$ is an abelian group such ...
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Relationship between fragments of the axiom of choice and the dependent choice principles
The dependent choice principle ${\rm DC}_\kappa$ states that if $S$ is a nonempty set and $R$ is a binary relation such that for every $s\in S^{\lt\kappa}$, there is $x\in S$ with $sRx$, then there ...
- 2,240
11
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Minimal subset of axioms for ZFC
Hello all, one may look for "minimal system of axioms" for ZFC (or any other
theory) in the following (unusual) sense : say that a subset S of ZFC is
"sufficient" if there is an explicit procedure ...
- 3,595
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
A contradiction in the Set Theory of von Neumann–Bernays–Gödel?
Thinking on the theory NBG (of von Neumann–Bernays–Gödel) I arrived at the conclusion that it is contradictory using an argument resembling Russell's Paradox. I am sure that I made a mistake in my ...
- 41.8k
11
votes
1
answer
628
views
A new cardinal characteristic (related to partitions)?
In this post I will discuss some cardinal characteristic of the continuum, related to partitions of $\omega$ and would like to know if it is equal to some known cardinal characteristic.
By a partition ...
- 41.8k
33
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is it still an open problem whether $\mathbb{R}^\omega$ is normal in the box topology?
On page 205 of his Topology textbook, James Munkres made an interesting remark:
It is not known whether $\mathbb{R}^\omega$ is normal in the box topology. Mary-Ellen Rudin has shown that the answer ...
- 4,587
11
votes
1
answer
704
views
Is $\mathfrak j_{2:1}=\mathfrak{j}_{2:2}$ in ZFC?
A function $f:\omega\to\omega$ is called
$\bullet$ 2-to-1 if $|f^{-1}(y)|\le 2$ for any $y\in\omega$;
$\bullet$ almost injective if the set $\{y\in \omega:|f^{-1}(y)|>1\}$ is finite.
Let us ...
- 41.8k
7
votes
1
answer
457
views
The existence of definable subsets of finite sets in NBG
This question is motivated by my preceding MO-question on (in)consistency of NBG theory of classes.
Let $\varphi(x,Y,C)$ be a formula of NBG with free parameters $x,Y,C$ and all quantifiers running ...
- 41.8k
22
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Nice algebraic statements independent from ZF + V=L (constructibility)
Background and motivation
I've always been fascinated about algebraic statements independent from ZFC set theory. One such fascinating example comes from considering $\rm{Ext}^1_\mathbb{Z}(A,\mathbb{Z}...
user1437
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Kaplansky's conjecture and Martin's axiom
Recall Kaplansky's conjecture which states that every algebra homomorphism from the Banach algebra C(X) (where X is a compact Hausdorff topological space) into any other Banach algebra, is ...
- 32.1k
10
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Reference Request: Independence of the ultrafilter lemma from ZF
I'm looking for references for the following facts concerning the ultrafilter lemma (~ "there exist non-principal ultrafilters"):
The ultrafilter lemma is independent of ZF.
ZF + the ultrafilter ...
- 1,347
9
votes
1
answer
489
views
Intuition behind Pincus' "injectively bounded statements"
In
David Pincus, Zermelo-Fraenkel Consistency Results by Fraenkel-Mostowski Methods,
The Journal of Symbolic Logic, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Dec., 1972), pp. 721-743
Pincus introduces the notion of ...
- 35.5k
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Given a cardinal k, what's the biggest dense linear order with a dense subset of size k?
It's not hard to show that for any cardinal $\kappa$, there is no dense linear order without endpoints (DLO) of size greater than $2^{\kappa}$ that has a dense subset of size $\kappa$. But one can ...
- 3,982
8
votes
1
answer
324
views
A surjection from square onto power: Is limit Hartogs/Lindenbaum number necessary?
I am considering the construction in [Peng—Shen—Wu] in which the authors show the consistency of a set $X$ such that there is a surjection from $X^2$ onto the power set of $X$ (henceforth $\mathscr{P}(...
- 2,196
6
votes
0
answers
375
views
How bad a proper forcing of size $\aleph_1$ can be?
This question concerns proper forcings of size $\aleph_1$. In the context of
$\rm ZFC+\neg CH$, I couldn't find any counter example to the following property. Suppose $\mathbb P$ is a proper forcing ...
- 2,381
5
votes
1
answer
524
views
A topologically transitive dynamical system without dense orbits
By a dynamical system I understand a pair $(K,G)$ consisting a compact Hausdorff space and a subgroup $G$ of the homeomorphism group of $K$.
We say that a dynamical system $(K,G)$
$\bullet$ is ...
- 41.8k