Let X be a set, κ be a cardinal number and let ℋ be a family of subsets of X which covers each x ∈ X at least κ-fold. What assumptions can ensure that ℋ can be decomposed into κ many disjoint subcovers? We examine this problem under various assumptions on the set X and on the cover ℋ: among other situations, we consider covers of topological spaces by closed sets, interval covers of linearly ordered sets and covers of ℝⁿ by polyhedra and by arbitrary convex sets. We focus on...

Let X be a nonempty set of cardinality at most $2^{\aleph ₀}$ and T be a selfmap of X. Our main theorem says that if each periodic point of T is a fixed point under T, and T has a fixed point, then there exist a metric d on X and a lower semicontinuous map ϕ :X→ ℝ ₊ such that d(x,Tx) ≤ ϕ(x) - ϕ(Tx) for all x∈ X, and (X,d) is separable. Assuming CH (the Continuum Hypothesis), we deduce that (X,d) is compact.

On every subspace of $l_{\infty }\left(\mathbb{N}\right)$ which contains an uncountable $\omega$-independent set, we construct equivalent norms whose Banach-Mazur distance is as large as required. Under Martin’s Maximum Axiom (MM), it follows that the Banach-Mazur diameter of the set of equivalent norms on every infinite-dimensional subspace of $l_{\infty }\left(\mathbb{N}\right)$ is infinite. This provides a partial answer to a question asked by Johnson and Odell.

Rasiowa and Sikorski [5] showed that in any Boolean algebra there is an ultrafilter preserving countably many given infima. In [3] we proved an extension of this fact and gave some applications. Here, besides further remarks, we present some of these results in a more general setting.

The σ-ideal (v 0) is associated with the Silver forcing, see [5]. Also, it constitutes the family of all completely doughnut null sets, see [9]. We introduce segment topologies to state some resemblances of (v 0) to the family of Ramsey null sets. To describe add(v 0) we adopt a proof of Base Matrix Lemma. Consistent results are stated, too. Halbeisen’s conjecture cov(v 0) = add(v 0) is confirmed under the hypothesis t = min{cf(c), r}. The hypothesis cov(v 0) = ω 1 implies that (v 0) has the ideal...

The following question is analyzed under the assumption that the Axiom of Choice fails badly: Given a countable number of pairs of socks, then how many socks are there? Surprisingly this number is not uniquely determined by the above information, thus giving rise to the concept of Russell-cardinals. It will be shown that: • some Russell-cardinals are even, but others fail to be so; • no Russell-cardinal is odd; • no Russell-cardinal is comparable with any cardinal of the form ${\aleph }_{\alpha }$ or $2^{{\aleph }_{\alpha }}$; • finite sums...

An earlier paper [Starosolski A., P-hierarchy on βω, J. Symbolic Logic, 2008, 73(4), 1202–1214] investigated the relations between ordinal ultrafilters and the so-called P-hierarchy. The present paper focuses on the aspects of characterization of classes of ultrafilters of finite index, existence, generic existence and the Rudin-Keisler-order.

We parametrize Cichoń’s diagram and show how cardinals from Cichoń’s diagram yield classes of small sets of reals. For instance, we show that there exist subsets N and M of $w^w\times 2^w$ and continuous functions $e,f:w^w\to w^w$ such that  • N is $G_{\delta }$ and $N_x:x\in w^w$, the collection of all vertical sections of N, is a basis for the ideal of measure zero subsets of $2^w$;  • M is $F_{\sigma }$ and $M_x:x\in w^w$ is a basis for the ideal of meager subsets of $2^w$;  •$\forall x,y{N}_{e\left(x\right)}\subseteq N_y\Rightarrow M_x\subseteq M_{f\left(y\right)}$. From this we derive that for a separable metric space X,  •if for all Borel (resp. $G_{\delta }$) sets $B\subseteq X\times 2^w$ with all...

We prove the results stated in the title.

A combinatorial statement concerning ideals of countable subsets of ω is introduced and proved to be consistent with the Continuum Hypothesis. This statement implies the Suslin Hypothesis, that all (ω, ω*)-gaps are Hausdorff, and that every coherent sequence on ω either almost includes or is orthogonal to some uncountable subset of ω.

Under Martin’s axiom, collapsing of the continuum by Sacks forcing $𝕊$ is characterized by the additivity of Marczewski’s ideal (see [4]). We show that the same characterization holds true if $𝔡=𝔠$ proving that under this hypothesis there are no small uncountable maximal antichains in $𝕊$. We also construct a partition of ${}^{\omega }2$ into $𝔠$ perfect sets which is a maximal antichain in $𝕊$ and show that $s^0$-sets are exactly (subsets of) selectors of maximal antichains of perfect sets.