Questions tagged [set-theory]
forcing, large cardinals, descriptive set theory, infinite combinatorics, cardinal characteristics, forcing axioms, ultrapowers, measures, reflection, pcf theory, models of set theory, axioms of set theory, independence, axiom of choice, continuum hypothesis, determinacy, Borel equivalence relations, Boolean-valued models, embeddings, orders, relations, transfinite recursion, set theory as a foundation of mathematics, the philosophy of set theory.
1,112 questions
3
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Centralizer of a single element in the monoid of self-maps of a set
This is a follow-up to this question: For what sets $X$ do there exist a pair of functions from $X$ to $X$ with the identity being the only function that commutes with both?
Let $X$ be a set, and $X^...
- 63.9k
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1
answer
259
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Can we internalize a bijection between a set and its powerset in this way?
This question is related to a question lately posted to $\cal MO$. Here, we add two partial unary functions $``j,f"$ to the language of $\sf ZF$.
The question is about if we can add the following on ...
- 11.3k
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1
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702
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Is ZFC plus a truth predicate capable of variable substitution consistent?
Let us define a truth predicate that allows one to substitute in variables. For example, for a 3-ary predicate $p$ and sets $A$, $B$, and $C$, then $\text{true}(\ulcorner p \urcorner, A, B, C)$ (where ...
- 6,353
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1
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Is there a model of ZF+ACC where transfer fails for the definable hyperreals?
In 2003 Kanovei and Shelah constructed a definable hyperreal field. The ultrapower used exploits a fairly large index set so that it is clear that the usual proof of Los and transfer does not go ...
- 16.6k
2
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1
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452
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Can we choose an element from a class?
Let $H$ be a complex Hilbert space and $H_1,...,H_n$ be closed subspaces of $H$.
Set $H_0:=H_1\cap H_2\cap...\cap H_n$ and let
$P_i$ be the orthogonal projection onto $H_i$, $i=0,1,2,...,n$.
I study ...
- 935
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4
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535
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Topological spaces $(X,\tau)$ where $|\text{Cont}(X,X)| = |X|$
Let $(X,\tau)$ be a topological space. Let $\text{Cont}(X,X)$ denote the set of continuous functions $f:X\to X$.
What can be said about spaces $(X,\tau)$ where $|\text{Cont}(X,X)| = |X|$? For ...
- 48.9k
1
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1
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204
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Is every set being cardinal definable consistent with ZF?
$Define: X \text { is cardinal definable} \iff \\\exists \text { cardinal } \kappa \, \exists \text { cardinals } \lambda_1,.., \lambda_n <^\rho \kappa \ \exists \phi : \\ X=\{ y \in V_{\rho(\...
- 11.3k
1
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1
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313
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What is the set theory synonymous with this order-set theory?
Let $ T$ be a theory written in Mono-sorted first order logic with equality, with extralogical primitives: $<, \in$.
Define: $x \leq y \iff x < y \lor x=y$
Axioms:
$\textbf{Well ordering: }\\\...
- 11.3k
1
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2
answers
503
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Equivalents of Replacement under removal of Extensionality?
Is the following schema equivalent to the axiom schema of Replacement over the rest of axioms of $ZF$ [equality axioms, full versions of Pairing, Union and Power; Infinity, Foundation, Extensionality]....
- 11.3k
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0
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How many critical points can you have below a Fibonacci term in an algebra of elementary embeddings?
In this question, I asked about how slowly the Fibonacci terms in a algebra of elementary embeddings could grow, but I did not inquire if there was a limit to how quickly the Fibonacci terms could ...
1
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1
answer
60
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Hypergraph colorings with small fibers
Let $H=(V,E)$ be a hypergraph such that for every $e\in E$ we have $|e|\geq 2$. A map $c:V\to \kappa$, where $\kappa$ is a cardinal, is said to be a (hypergraph) coloring if for all $e\in E$ the ...
- 48.9k
0
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1
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443
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Can cardinality be defined with essentially no practical restriction on non-well-ordered combinatorics or ill-foundedness of sets?
Question: Can we have a model of $ZF-\text {Regularity}$ where there exist an ordinal $\kappa$ such that $H_{\kappa}$ exists and $H_{\kappa}$ is not equinumerous to any well founded set?
The ...
- 11.3k
-1
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1
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141
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Can stratification be used to internalize external functions inside models of $\sf ZF$?
Suppose $M$ is a model of $\sf ZF+\neg AC$ that is externally bijective to an element $k \in M$. Obviously if $j$ denotes such an external bijection, then it cannot be used in Separation and ...
- 11.3k
-1
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2
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Cardinality of a set of mutually disjoint perfect matchings of $K_\omega$
If $G=(V,E)$ is a simple, undirected graph, we say that $M\subseteq E$ is a perfect matching if the members of $M$ are pairwise disjoint and $\bigcup M = V$. Let $K_\omega$ be the complete graph on $\...
- 48.9k
-1
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1
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258
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Lowering from filters to ultrafilters for an infinitary relation
Let $U$ be a set. Let $N$ be a (possibly infinite) index set. Let $f$ be an $N$-ary relation on $U$ (that is $f$ is a set of functions $N\rightarrow U$).
I denote $\mathcal{L}\in \upuparrows f \...
- 765
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1
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326
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Expressing a value related to an infinitary relation through ultrafilters
Let $U$ be a set. I denote $\mathfrak{A}$ the lattice of filters on $U$ ordered reverse to set theoretic inclusion of filters. I denote $\bigvee$ and $\bigwedge$ correspondingly the supremum and ...
- 765
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1
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369
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Is this extension of the projectively extended real line, consistent?
This posting has been Edited. The edited material shall be noted.
The projectively extended real line $\hat {\mathbb R}= \mathbb R \cup \{\infty\}$ is one system which allows division by zero! Yet it ...
- 11.3k
124
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17
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Pressure to defend the relevance of one's area of mathematics
I am a set theorist. Since I began to study this subject, I became increasingly aware of negative attitudes about it. These were expressed both from an internal and an external perspective. By the “...
86
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10
answers
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What's wrong with the surreals?
Of all the constructions of the reals, the construction via the surreals seems the most elegant to me.
It seems to immediately capture the total ordering and precision of Dedekind cuts at a ...
- 1,843
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5
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Does pointwise convergence imply uniform convergence on a large subset?
Suppose $f_n$ is a sequence of real valued functions on $[0,1]$ which converges pointwise to zero.
Is there an uncountable subset $A$ of $[0,1]$ so that $f_n$ converges uniformly on $A$?
Is there a ...
- 31.5k
65
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3
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Forcing as a new chapter of Galois Theory?
There is a (very) long essay by Grothendieck with the ominous title La Longue Marche à travers la théorie de Galois (The Long March through Galois Theory). As usual, Grothendieck knew what he was ...
- 7,853
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2
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3k
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How to add essentially new knots to the universe?
A knot is an embedding of a circle $S^{1}$ in $3$-dimensional Euclidean space, $\mathbb{R}^3$. Knots are considered equivalent under ambient isotopy. There are two different types of knots, tame and ...
55
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6
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6k
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Can the symmetric groups on sets of different cardinalities be isomorphic?
For any set X, let SX be the symmetric group on
X, the group of permutations of X.
My question is: Can there be two nonempty sets X and Y with
different cardinalities, but for which SX is
isomorphic ...
- 236k
53
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2
answers
3k
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Silver's approach to the inconsistency of $\mathrm{ZFC}$
As all probably know, Jack Silver passed away about one month ago. The announcement released, with delay, by European Set Theory Society includes a quote by Solovay about his belief on inconsistency ...
- 2,381
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0
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2k
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How many algebraic closures can a field have?
Assuming the axiom of choice given a field $F$, there is an algebraic extension $\overline F$ of $F$ which is algebraically closed. Moreover, if $K$ is a different algebraic extension of $F$ which is ...
- 39.8k
47
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10
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What is the most "concrete-feeling" equivalent formulation of the Continuum Hypothesis that you can think of?
There are many equivalent formulations of the Continuum Hypothesis, but I think the most standard one is that
there is no infinite cardinality lying strictly between the cardinality of the natural ...
47
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4
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5k
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The origin of sets?
The history of set theory from Cantor to modern times is well documented. However, the origin of the idea of sets is not so clear. A few years ago, I taught a set theory course and I did some digging ...
- 44.4k
47
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4
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Which topological spaces admit a nonstandard metric?
My question is about the concept of nonstandard metric space that would arise from a use of the nonstandard reals R* in place of the usual R-valued metric.
That is, let us define that a topological ...
- 236k
43
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4
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5k
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Lists as a foundation of mathematics
I am wondering if there is a foundation of mathematics where not sets or "set-like objects" (such as objects of a suitable topos as in ETCS) are the primitive notion, but rather lists. These ...
- 63.1k
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2
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On the difference between two concepts of even cardinalities: Is there a model of ZF set theory in which every infinite set can be split into pairs, but not every infinite set can be cut in half?
An interesting question has arisen over at this
math.stackexchange
question
about two concepts of even in the context of infinite
cardinalities, which are equivalent under the axiom of
choice, but ...
- 236k
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7
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What is the general opinion on the Generalized Continuum Hypothesis?
I'm community wikiing this, since although I don't want it to be a discussion thread, I don't think that there is really a right answer to this.
From what I've seen, model theorists and logicians ...
39
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3
answers
3k
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Can one show that the real field is not interpretable in the complex field without the axiom of choice?
We all know that the complex field structure $\langle\mathbb{C},+,\cdot,0,1\rangle$ is interpretable in the real field $\langle\mathbb{R},+,\cdot,0,1\rangle$, by encoding $a+bi$ with the real-number ...
- 236k
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5
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Is there a constructive proof of Cantor–Bernstein–Schroeder theorem ?
An important feature of the Cantor-Schroeder-Bernstein theorem is that it does not rely on the axiom of choice. However, its various proofs are non-constructive, as they depend on the law of excluded ...
- 775
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4
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Understanding the countable ordinals up to $\epsilon_{0}$
in a recent MO question, link, discussing the current foundations of mathematics, the author linked a video lecture by Prof. Voevodsky, which argues against the principle of $\epsilon_{0}$-induction ...
user11618
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14
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What are interesting families of subsets of a given set?
Motivation
The usual starting point of both Topology and Measure Theory is the definition of a family of subsets of a set $S$.
Indeed, one defines a topology on $S$ to be a family of subsets ...
- 33.3k
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7
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How would set theory research be affected by using ETCS instead of ZFC?
In "Rethinking Set Theory", Tom Leinster argues in favor of teaching axiomatic set theory via Lawvere's Elementary Theory of the Category of Sets with 10 axioms (but phrased in a way that requires no ...
- 457
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3
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Latest status of core model theory?
What is the "strongest" core model to this day? In particular, how far are we from a core model for supercompact cardinals? There are rumors of some notes from a workshop in 2004:
https://...
- 1,312
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3
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Counterintuitive consequences of the Axiom of Determinacy?
I just read Dr Strangechoice's explanation that if all subsets of the real numbers are Lebesgue measurable, then you can partition $2^\omega$ into more than $2^\omega$ many pairwise disjoint nonempty ...
- 7,633
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6
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Distinct well-orderings of the same set
An easy consequence of the Erdős-Dushnik-Miller theorem $\kappa\to(\kappa,\omega)^2$ is the following, that will denote $(*)$ (it appears as an exercise in Kunen's book, it was probably mentioned ...
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Forcing as a replacement of induction and diagonal arguments
Let me give some examples motivating the question.
The use of forcing instead of induction: For this consider Cantor's theorem:
Theorem 1. Any two countable dense linear orders $I, J$ without end ...
- 32.2k
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1
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Does "every" first-order theory have a finitely axiomatizable conservative extension?
I originally asked this question on math.stackexchange.com here.
There's a famous theorem (due to Montague) that states that if $\sf ZFC$ is consistent then it cannot be finitely axiomatized. ...
- 3,137
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15
answers
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What's a magical theorem in logic?
Some theorems are magical: their hypotheses are easy to meet, and when invoked (as lemmas) in the midst of an otherwise routine proof, they deliver the desired conclusion more or less straightaway&...
33
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3
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Wiki for consequences of axiom of choice?
I raised the following question as part of another MO question, but I am following the suggestion of Nate Eldredge to make it a question in its own right.
For many years, there has a been a valuable ...
- 82.7k
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Do there exist non-PIDs in which every countably generated ideal is principal?
The title pretty much says it all: suppose $R$ is a commutative integral domain such that every countably generated ideal is principal. Must $R$ be a principal ideal domain?
More generally: for ...
- 65.4k
32
votes
4
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4k
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Is a random subset of the real numbers non-measurable? Is the set of measurable sets measurable?
One might say, "a random subset of $\mathbb{R}$ is not Lebesgue measurable" without really thinking about it. But if we unpack the standard definitions of all those terms (and work in ZFC), it's not ...
- 2,210
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3
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6k
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Is "compact implies sequentially compact" consistent with ZF?
Over at the nForum, we've been discussing sequential compactness. The discussion led me to realise that I naively assumed that nets were simply Big Sequences, and that I could make a reasonable guess ...
- 26.8k
32
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2
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1k
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Translates of null sets
Does there exist a null set of reals $N$ such that every null set is covered by countably many translations of $N$?
- 321
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3
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5k
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Should there be a true model of set theory?
As I understand it, there is a program in set theory to produce an ultimate, canonical model of set theory which, among other things, positively answers the Continuum Hypothesis and various questions ...
- 3,982
31
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1
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Are Conway's omnific integers the Grothendieck group of the ordinals under commutative addition?
This is a question in two parts.
Say that $\mathbf{On}$ is the proper class of all ordinal numbers in ZFC. We can define a binary operator over $\mathbf{On}$ which corresponds to the commutative ...
- 4,907
29
votes
2
answers
5k
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What is the dimension of the mathematical universe?
Forcing construction in set theory leads to a new understanding of the mathematical (multi)universe by providing a machinery through which one can construct new models of the universe from the ...