We lower substantially the strength of the assumptions needed for the validity of certain results in category theory and homotopy theory which were known to follow from Vopěnka’s principle. We prove that the necessary large-cardinal hypotheses depend on the complexity of the formulas defining the given classes, in the sense of the Lévy hierarchy. For example, the statement that, for a class $𝒮$ of morphisms in a locally presentable category $𝒞$ of structures, the orthogonal class of objects...

Let (α) denote the class of all cardinal sequences of length α associated with compact scattered spaces (or equivalently, superatomic Boolean algebras). Also put ${}_{\lambda }\left(\alpha \right)=s\in \left(\alpha \right):s\left(0\right)=\lambda =min\left[s\right(\beta ):\beta <\alpha ]$. We show that f ∈ (α) iff for some natural number n there are infinite cardinals $\lambda ₀i>\lambda ₁>...>{\lambda }_{n-1}$ and ordinals $\alpha ₀,...,{\alpha }_{n-1}$ such that $\alpha =\alpha ₀+\cdots +{\alpha }_{n-1}$ and $f=f₀⏜f₁⏜...⏜f_{n-1}$ where each $f_i{\in }_{{\lambda }_i}\left({\alpha }_i\right)$. Under GCH we prove that if α < ω₂ then (i) ${}_{\omega }\left(\alpha \right)=s{\in }^{\alpha }\omega ,\omega ₁:s\left(0\right)=\omega$; (ii) if λ > cf(λ) = ω, ${}_{\lambda }\left(\alpha \right)=s{\in }^{\alpha }\lambda ,\lambda ⁺:s\left(0\right)=\lambda ,s^{-1}\lambda is\omega ₁-closedin\alpha$; (iii) if cf(λ) = ω₁, ${}_{\lambda }\left(\alpha \right)=s{\in }^{\alpha }\lambda ,\lambda ⁺:s\left(0\right)=\lambda ,s^{-1}\lambda is\omega -closedandsuccessor-closedin\alpha$; (iv) if cf(λ) > ω₁, ${}_{\lambda }\left(\alpha \right){=}^{\alpha }\lambda$. This yields a complete characterization of the classes (α) for all...

Let λ be an infinite cardinal number. The ordinal number δ(λ) is the least ordinal γ such that if ϕ is any sentence of $L_{\lambda ⁺\omega }$, with a unary predicate D and a binary predicate ≺, and ϕ has a model ℳ with $⟨D^{ℳ},{\prec }^{ℳ}⟩$ a well-ordering of type ≥ γ, then ϕ has a model ℳ ’ where $⟨D^{{ℳ}^{\text{'}}},{\prec }^{{ℳ}^{\text{'}}}⟩$ is non-well-ordered. One of the interesting properties of this number is that the Hanf number of $L_{\lambda ⁺\omega }$ is exactly ${\beth }_{\delta \left(\lambda \right)}$. It was proved in [BK71] that if ℵ₀ < λ < κ$areregularcardinalnumbers,thenthereisaforcingextension,preservingcofinalities,suchthatintheextension$2λ = κ$and\delta \left(\lambda \right)<\lambda ⁺⁺.Weimprovethisresultbyprovingthefollowing:Suppose\aleph ₀<\lambda <\theta \le \kappa arecardinalnumberssuchthat$∙ ${\lambda }^{<\lambda }=\lambda$; ∙ cf(θ) ≥ λ⁺ and ${\mu }^{\lambda }<\theta$ whenever μ < θ; ∙ ${\kappa }^{\lambda }=\kappa$. Then there...

The cardinal invariants $𝔥,𝔟,𝔰$ of $𝒫\left(\omega \right)$ are known to satisfy that ${\omega }_1\le 𝔥\le min\{𝔟,𝔰\}$. We prove that all inequalities can be strict. We also introduce a new upper bound for $𝔥$ and show that it can be less than $𝔰$. The key method is to utilize finite support matrix iterations of ccc posets following paper Ultrafilters with small generating sets by A. Blass and S. Shelah (1989).

In 1990, Comfort asked Question 477 in the survey book “Open Problems in Topology”: Is there, for every (not necessarily infinite) cardinal number $\alpha \le 2^{}$, a topological group G such that $G^{\gamma }$ is countably compact for all cardinals γ < α, but $G^{\alpha }$ is not countably compact? Hart and van Mill showed in 1991 that α = 2 answers this question affirmatively under $M{A}_{countable}$. Recently, Tomita showed that every finite cardinal answers Comfort’s question in the affirmative, also from $M{A}_{countable}$. However, the question has...

The symbol ${\left(X_I\right)}_{\kappa }$ (with κ ≥ ω) denotes the space $X_I:={\prod }_{i\in I}{X}_i$ with the κ-box topology; this has as base all sets of the form $U={\prod }_{i\in I}{U}_i$ with $U_i$ open in $X_i$ and with $|i\in I:U_i\ne X_i|<\kappa$. The symbols w, d and S denote respectively the weight, density character and Suslin number. Generalizing familiar classical results, the authors show inter alia: Theorem 3.1.10(b). If κ ≤ α⁺, |I| = α and each $X_i$ contains the discrete space 0,1 and satisfies $w\left(X_i\right)\le \alpha$, then $w\left(X_{\kappa }\right)={\alpha }^{<\kappa }$. Theorem 4.3.2. If $\omega \le \kappa \le \left|I\right|\le 2^{\alpha }$ and $X={\left(D\left(\alpha \right)\right)}^I$ with D(α) discrete, |D(α)| = α, then $d\left({\left(X_I\right)}_{\kappa }\right)={\alpha }^{<\kappa }$. Corollaries 5.2.32(a)...

We generalize the notion of a fat subset of a regular cardinal κ to a fat subset of $P_{\kappa }\left(X\right)$, where κ ⊆ X. Suppose μ < κ, ${\mu }^{<\mu }=\mu$, and κ is supercompact. Then there is a generic extension in which κ = μ⁺⁺, and for all regular λ ≥ μ⁺⁺, there are stationarily many N in ${\left[H\left(\lambda \right)\right]}^{\mu ⁺}$ which are internally club but not internally approachable.

Let a space $X$ be Tychonoff product ${\prod }_{\alpha <\tau }{X}_{\alpha }$ of $\tau$-many Tychonoff nonsingle point spaces $X_{\alpha }$. Let Suslin number of $X$ be strictly less than the cofinality of $\tau$. Then we show that every point of remainder is a non-normality point of its Čech–Stone compactification $\beta X$. In particular, this is true if $X$ is either $R^{\tau }$ or ${\omega }^{\tau }$ and a cardinal $\tau$ is infinite and not countably cofinal.

We prove that if $X$ is a first countable space with property $\left(DC\left({\omega }_1\right)\right)$ and with a $G_{\delta }$-diagonal then the cardinality of $X$ is at most $𝔠$. We also show that if $X$ is a first countable, DCCC, normal space then the extent of $X$ is at most $𝔠$.

We prove that ${♦}^{*}$ implies there is a zero-dimensional Hausdorff Lindelöf space of cardinality $2^{{\aleph }_1}$ which has points $G_{\delta }$. In addition, this space has the property that it need not be Lindelöf after countably closed forcing.

We characterize, in terms of X, the extensional dimension of the Stone-Čech corona βX∖X of a locally compact and Lindelöf space X. The non-Lindelöf case is also settled in terms of extending proper maps with values in $I^{\tau }\setminus L$, where L is a finite complex. Further, for a finite complex L, an uncountable cardinal τ and a $Z_{\tau }$-set X in the Tikhonov cube $I^{\tau }$ we find a necessary and sufficient condition, in terms of $I^{\tau }\setminus X$, for X to be in the class AE([L]). We also introduce a concept of a proper absolute...

We investigate the question whether a system ${\left(E_i\right)}_{i\in I}$ of homogeneous linear equations over $\mathbb{Z}$ is non-trivially solvable in $\mathbb{Z}$ provided that each subsystem ${\left(E_j\right)}_{j\in J}$ with $\left|J\right|\le c$ is non-trivially solvable in $\mathbb{Z}$ where $c$ is a fixed cardinal number such that $c<\left|I\right|$. Among other results, we establish the following. (a) The answer is ‘No’ in the finite case (i.e., $I$ being finite). (b) The answer is ‘No’ in the denumerable case (i.e., $\left|I\right|={\aleph }_0$ and $c$ a natural number). (c) The answer in case that $I$ is uncountable and $c\le {\aleph }_0$ is ‘No...

The elementary theory of ⟨α;×⟩, where α is an ordinal and × denotes ordinal multiplication, is decidable if and only if $\alpha <{\omega }^{\omega }$. Moreover if ${|}_r$ and ${|}_l$ respectively denote the right- and left-hand divisibility relation, we show that Th $⟨{\omega }^{{\omega }^{\xi }}{;|}_r⟩$ and Th $⟨{\omega }^{\xi }{;|}_l⟩$ are decidable for every ordinal ξ. Further related definability results are also presented.

This paper is part II of a study on cardinals that are characterizable by a Scott sentence, continuing previous work of the author. A cardinal κ is characterized by a Scott sentence ${\varphi }_{ℳ}$ if ${\varphi }_{ℳ}$ has a model of size κ, but no model of size κ⁺. The main question in this paper is the following: Are the characterizable cardinals closed under the powerset operation? We prove that if ${\aleph }_{\beta }$ is characterized by a Scott sentence, then $2^{{\aleph }_{\beta +\beta ₁}}$ is (homogeneously) characterized by a Scott sentence, for all 0 <...

We show that given infinite sets $X,Y$ and a function $f:X\to Y$ which is onto and $n$-to-one for some $n\in \mathbb{N}$, the preimage of any ultrafilter $ℱ$ of $Y$ under $f$ extends to an ultrafilter. We prove that the latter result is, in some sense, the best possible by constructing a permutation model $ℳ$ with a set of atoms $A$ and a finite-to-one onto function $f:A\to \omega$ such that for each free ultrafilter of $\omega$ its preimage under $f$ does not extend to an ultrafilter. In addition, we show that in $ℳ$ there exists an ultrafilter compact...

A new ⋄-like principle ${\diamond }_{}$ consistent with the negation of the Continuum Hypothesis is introduced and studied. It is shown that $\neg {\diamond }_{}$ is consistent with CH and that in many models of = ω₁ the principle ${\diamond }_{}$ holds. As ${\diamond }_{}$ implies that there is a MAD family of size ℵ₁ this provides a partial answer to a question of J. Roitman who asked whether = ω₁ implies = ω₁. It is proved that ${\diamond }_{}$ holds in any model obtained by adding a single Laver real, answering a question of J. Brendle who asked whether = ω₁...

We show that uncountable cardinals are indistinguishable by sentences of the monadic second-order language of order of the form (∀X)ϕ(X) and (∃X)ϕ(X), for ϕ positive in X and containing no set-quantifiers, when the set variables range over large (= cofinal) subsets of the cardinals. This strengthens the result of Doner-Mostowski-Tarski [3] that (κ,∈), (λ,∈) are elementarily equivalent when κ, λ are uncountable. It follows that we can consistently postulate that the structures $(2^{\kappa },{\left[2^{\kappa }\right]}^{>\kappa },<)$, $(2^{\lambda },{\left[2^{\lambda }\right]}^{>\lambda },<)$ are...

We study combinatorial properties of the partial order (Dense(ℚ),⊆). To do that we introduce cardinal invariants ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$, ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$, ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$, ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$, ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$, ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$ describing properties of Dense(ℚ). These invariants satisfy ${}_{\mathbb{Q}}$ ≤ ℚ ≤ ℚ ≤ ℚ ≤ ℚ ≤ ℚ$.WecomparethemwiththeiranaloguesinthewellstudiedBooleanalgebra\left(\omega \right)/fin.Weshowthat$ℚ = p$,$ℚ = t$and$ℚ = i$,whereas$ℚ > h$and$ℚ > r$arebothshowntoberelativelyconsistentwithZFC.Wealsoinvestigatecombinatoricsoftheidealnwdofnowheredensesubsetsof,\mathbb{Q}.Inparticular,weshowthat$non(M)=min||: ⊆ Dense(R) ∧ (∀I ∈ nwd(R))(∃D ∈ )(I ∩ D = ∅) and cof(M) = min||: ⊆ Dense(ℚ) ∧ (∀I ∈ nwd)(∃D ∈ )(I ∩ = ∅). We use these facts to show that cof(M) ≤ i, which improves a result of S. Shelah.

We introduce the notion of a coherent $P$-ultrafilter on a complete ccc Boolean algebra, strengthening the notion of a $P$-point on $\omega$, and show that these ultrafilters exist generically under $𝔠=𝔡$. This improves the known existence result of Ketonen [On the existence of $P$-points in the Stone-Čech compactification of integers, Fund. Math. 92 (1976), 91–94]. Similarly, the existence theorem of Canjar [On the generic existence of special ultrafilters, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 110 (1990), no. 1,...

We provide a complete isomorphic classification of the Banach spaces of continuous functions on the compact spaces $2^{}\oplus [0,\alpha ]$, the topological sums of Cantor cubes $2^{}$, with smaller than the first sequential cardinal, and intervals of ordinal numbers [0,α]. In particular, we prove that it is relatively consistent with ZFC that the only isomorphism classes of $C\left(2^{}\oplus [0,\alpha ]\right)$ spaces with ≥ ℵ₀ and α ≥ ω₁ are the trivial ones. This result leads to some elementary questions on large cardinals.