The effects of the forcing axioms \, \ and \ on the failure of weak threaded square principles of the form \\) are analyzed. To this end, a diagonal reflection principle, \, and it implies the failure of \\) if \. It is also shown that this result is sharp. It is noted that \/\ imply the failure of \\), for every regular \, and that this result is sharp as well.

Shelah and Stanley :887–897, 1988) constructed a κ+\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\kappa ^+$$\end{document}-Aronszjan tree with an ascent path using □κ\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\square _{\kappa }$$\end{document}. We show that □κ,2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\square _{\kappa,2}$$\end{document} does not imply the existence of Aronszajn trees with ascent paths. The proof goes through an intermediate combinatorial principle, which we investigate further.

We investigate the relationship between weak square principles and simultaneous reflection of stationary sets.

We investigate questions involving Aronszajn trees, square principles, and stationary reflection. We first consider two strengthenings of introduced by Brodsky and Rinot for the purpose of constructing κ‐Souslin trees. Answering a question of Rinot, we prove that the weaker of these strengthenings is compatible with stationary reflection at κ but the stronger is not. We then prove that, if μ is a singular cardinal, implies the existence of a special ‐tree with a cf(μ)‐ascent path, thus answering a question of Lücke.

We investigate the compatibility of $$I_0$$ with various combinatorial principles at $$\lambda ^+$$, which include the existence of $$\lambda ^+$$ -Aronszajn trees, square principles at $$\lambda $$, the existence of good scales at $$\lambda $$, stationary reflections for subsets of $$\lambda ^{+}$$, diamond principles at $$\lambda $$ and the singular cardinal hypothesis at $$\lambda $$. We also discuss whether these principles can hold in $$L(V_{\lambda +1})$$.

We give modest upper bounds for consistency strengths for two well-studied combinatorial principles. These bounds range at the level of subcompact cardinals, which is significantly below a κ+-supercompact cardinal. All previously known upper bounds on these principles ranged at the level of some degree of supercompactness. We show that by using any of the standard modified Prikry forcings it is possible to turn a measurable subcompact cardinal into ℵω and make the principle □ℵω,<ω fail in the generic extension. We also (...) show that by using Lévy collapse followed by standard iterated club shooting it is possible to turn a subcompact cardinal into ℵ2 and arrange in the generic extension that simultaneous reflection holds at ℵ2, and at the same time, every stationary subset of ℵ3 concentrating on points of cofinality ω has a reflection point of cofinality ω1. (shrink)

Our main results are: (A) It is consistent relative to a large cardinal that holds but fails. (B) If holds and are two infinite cardinals such that and λ carries a good scale, then holds. (C) If are two cardinals such that κ is λ‐Shelah and, then there is no good scale for λ.

We present several forcing posets for adding a non-reflecting stationary subset of Pω1, where λ≥ω2. We prove that PFA is consistent with dense non-reflection in Pω1, which means that every stationary subset of Pω1 contains a stationary subset which does not reflect to any set of size 1. If λ is singular with countable cofinality, then dense non-reflection in Pω1 follows from the existence of squares.

We construct a model in which the singular cardinal hypothesis fails at ℵωℵω. We use characterizations of genericity to show the existence of a projection between different Prikry type forcings.

We introduce the weak partial square principles View the MathML source and View the MathML source, which combine the ideas of a weak square sequence and a partial square sequence. We construct models in which weak partial square principles fail. The main result of the paper is that □λ,κ does not imply View the MathML source.

Viale introduced covering matrices in his proof that SCH follows from PFA. In the course of the proof and subsequent work with Sharon, he isolated two reflection principles, CP and S, which, under certain circumstances, are satisfied by all covering matrices of a certain shape. Using square sequences, we construct covering matrices for which CP and S fail. This leads naturally to an investigation of square principles intermediate between □κ and □ for a regular cardinal κ. We provide a detailed (...) picture of the implications between these square principles. (shrink)

We start by studying the relationship between two invariants isolated by Shelah, the sets of good and approachable points. As part of our study of these invariants, we prove a form of “singular cardinal compactness” for Jensen's square principle. We then study the relationship between internally approachable and tight structures, which parallels to a certain extent the relationship between good and approachable points. In particular we characterise the tight structures in terms of PCF theory and use our characterisation to prove (...) some covering results for tight structures, along with some results on tightness and stationary reflection. Finally, we prove some absoluteness theorems in PCF theory, deduce a covering theorem, and apply that theorem to the study of precipitous ideals. (shrink)

We construct two models in which the least strongly compact cardinal κ is also the least strong cardinal. In each of these models, κ satisfies indestructibility properties for both its strong compactness and strongness.

The purpose of this paper is to present some results which suggest that the Singular Cardinals Hypothesis follows from the Proper Forcing Axiom. What will be proved is that a form of simultaneous reflection follows from the Set Mapping Reflection Principle, a consequence of PFA. While the results fall short of showing that MRP implies SCH, it will be shown that MRP implies that if SCH fails first at κ then every stationary subset of reflects. It will also be demonstrated (...) that MRP always fails in a generic extension by Prikry forcing. (shrink)

We prove a number of consistency results complementary to the ZFC results from our paper [J. Cummings, M. Foreman, M. Magidor, Canonical structure in the universe of set theory: part one, Annals of Pure and Applied Logic 129 211–243]. We produce examples of non-tightly stationary mutually stationary sequences, sequences of cardinals on which every sequence of sets is mutually stationary, and mutually stationary sequences not concentrating on a fixed cofinality. We also give an alternative proof for the consistency of the (...) existence of stationarily many non-good points, show that diagonal Prikry forcing preserves certain stationary reflection properties, and study the relationship between some simultaneous reflection principles. Finally we show that the least cardinal where square fails can be the least inaccessible, and show that weak square is incompatible in a strong sense with generic supercompactness. (shrink)

We study a normal ideal on Pκ that is defined in terms of games.

We obtain very strong coloring theorems at successors of singular cardinals from failures of certain instances of simultaneous reflection of stationary sets. In particular, the simplest of our results establishes that if μ is singular and , then there is a regular cardinal θ<μ such that any fewer than cf stationary subsets of must reflect simultaneously.

If are such that δ is indestructibly supercompact and γ is measurable, then it must be the case that level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness fails. We prove a theorem which points to this result being best possible. Specifically, we show that relative to the existence of cardinals such that κ1 is λ‐supercompact and λ is inaccessible, there is a model for level by level inequivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness containing a supercompact cardinal in which κ’s (...) strong compactness, but not supercompactness, is indestructible under κ‐directed closed forcing. In this model, κ is the least strongly compact cardinal, and no cardinal is supercompact up to an inaccessible cardinal. (shrink)

We show that both Rado's Conjecture and strong Chang's Conjecture imply that there are no special ℵ2-Aronszajn trees if the Continuum Hypothesis fails. We give similar result for trees of higher heights and we also investigate the influence of Rado's Conjecture on square sequences.

We show that large fragments of MM, e. g. the tree property and stationary reflection, are preserved by strongly -game-closed forcings. PFA can be destroyed by a strongly -game-closed forcing but not by an ω2-closed.

Given a regular infinite cardinal κ and a cardinal λ > κ, we study fine ideals H on Pκ that satisfy the square brackets partition relation equation image, where μ is a cardinal ≥2.

We construct a model for the level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness in which below the least supercompact cardinal κ, there is a stationary set of cardinals on which SCH fails. In this model, the structure of the class of supercompact cardinals can be arbitrary.

We show that it is consistent, relative to n ∈ ω supercompact cardinals, for the strongly compact and measurable Woodin cardinals to coincide precisely. In particular, it is consistent for the first n strongly compact cardinals to be the first n measurable Woodin cardinals, with no cardinal above the n th strongly compact cardinal being measurable. In addition, we show that it is consistent, relative to a proper class of supercompact cardinals, for the strongly compact cardinals and the cardinals which (...) are both strong cardinals and Woodin cardinals to coincide precisely. We also show how the techniques employed can be used to prove additional theorems about possible relationships between Woodin cardinals and strongly compact cardinals. (shrink)

We show that both Rado's Conjecture and strong Chang's Conjecture imply that there are no special ℵ2-Aronszajn trees if the Continuum Hypothesis fails. We give similar result for trees of higher heights and we also investigate the influence of Rado's Conjecture on square sequences.

We give the proof of a theorem of Jensen and Zeman on the existence of a global □ sequence in the Core Model below a measurable cardinal κ of Mitchell order ) equal to κ++, and use it to prove the following theorem on mutual stationarity at n.Let ω1 denote the first uncountable cardinal of V and set to be the class of ordinals of cofinality ω1.TheoremIf every sequence n m. In particular, there is such a model in which for (...) all sufficiently large m<ω, the class of measurables λ with oM≥ωm is, in V, stationary below m+2. (shrink)

We show that given ω many supercompact cardinals, there is a generic extension in which there are no Aronszajn trees at $\aleph_{\omega + 1}$ . This is an improvement of the large cardinal assumptions. The previous hypothesis was a huge cardinal and ω many supercompact cardinals above it, in Magidor—Shelah [7].

We show that from a supercompact cardinal $\kappa$, there is a forcing extension $V[G]$ that has a symmetric inner model $N$ in which $\mathrm {ZF}+\lnot\mathrm {AC}$ holds, $\kappa$ and $\kappa^{+}$ are both singular, and the continuum function at $\kappa$ can be precisely controlled, in the sense that the final model contains a sequence of distinct subsets of $\kappa$ of length equal to any predetermined ordinal. We also show that the above situation can be collapsed to obtain a model of $\mathrm (...) {ZF}+\lnot\mathrm {AC}_{\omega}$ in which either $\aleph_{1}$ and $\aleph_{2}$ are both singular and the continuum function at $\aleph_{1}$ can be precisely controlled, or $\aleph_{\omega}$ and $\aleph_{\omega+1}$ are both singular and the continuum function at $\aleph_{\omega}$ can be precisely controlled. Additionally, we discuss a result in which we separate the lengths of sequences of distinct subsets of consecutive singular cardinals $\kappa$ and $\kappa^{+}$ in a model of $\mathrm {ZF}$. Some open questions concerning the continuum function in models of $\mathrm {ZF}$ with consecutive singular cardinals are posed. (shrink)

For sentences $\phi$ of $L_{\omega_{1},\omega}$, we investigate the question of absoluteness of $\phi$ having models in uncountable cardinalities. We first observe that having a model in $\aleph_{1}$ is an absolute property, but having a model in $\aleph_{2}$ is not as it may depend on the validity of the continuum hypothesis. We then consider the generalized continuum hypothesis context and provide sentences for any $\alpha\in\omega_{1}\setminus\{0,1,\omega\}$ for which the existence of a model in $\aleph_{\alpha}$ is nonabsolute . Finally, we present a complete (...) sentence for which model existence in $\aleph_{3}$ is nonabsolute. (shrink)

We present a question about Suslin trees and the weak square hierarchy which was contributed to the list of open problems of the BIRS workshop.

We present a survey of combinatorial set theory relevant to the study of singular cardinals and their successors. The topics covered include diamonds, squares, club guessing, forcing axioms, and PCF theory.

This paper attempts to present and organize several problems in the theory of Singular Cardinals. The most famous problems in the area (bounds for the ℶ-function at singular cardinals) are well known to all mathematicians with even a rudimentary interest in set theory. However, it is less well known that the combinatorics of singular cardinals is a thriving area with results and problems that do not depend on a solution of the Singular Cardinals Hypothesis. We present here an annotated collection (...) of representative problems with some references. Where the problems are novel, attribution is attempted and it is noted where money is attached to particular problems. Three closely related themes are represented in these problems: stationary sets and stationary set reflection, variations of square and approachability, and the singular cardinals hypothesis. Underlying many of them are ideas from Shelah's PCF theory. Important subthemes were mutual stationarity, Aronszajn trees, and superatomic Boolean Algebras. The author notes considerable overlap between this paper and the unpublished report submitted to the Banff Center for the Workshop on Singular Cardinals Combinatorics, May 1–5, 2004. (shrink)

We study the effects of piece selection principles on cardinal arithmetic (Shelah style). As an application, we discuss questions of Abe and Usuba. In particular, we show that if, then (a) is not (λ, 2)‐distributive, and (b) does not hold.

We show the consistency, relative to the appropriate supercompactness or strong compactness assumptions, of the existence of a non-supercompact strongly compact cardinal $\kappa _0$ (the least measurable cardinal) exhibiting properties which are impossible when $\kappa _0$ is supercompact. In particular, we construct models in which $\square _{\kappa ^+}$ holds for every inaccessible cardinal $\kappa $ except $\kappa _0$, GCH fails at every inaccessible cardinal except $\kappa _0$, and $\kappa _0$ is less than the least Woodin cardinal.

We study closure properties of measurable ultrapowers with respect to Hamkin's notion of freshness and show that the extent of these properties highly depends on the combinatorial properties of the underlying model of set theory. In one direction, a result of Sakai shows that, by collapsing a strongly compact cardinal to become the double successor of a measurable cardinal, it is possible to obtain a model of set theory in which such ultrapowers possess the strongest possible closure properties. In the (...) other direction, we use various square principles to show that measurable ultrapowers of canonical inner models only possess the minimal amount of closure properties. In addition, the techniques developed in the proofs of these results also allow us to derive statements about the consistency strength of the existence of measurable ultrapowers with non-minimal closure properties. (shrink)

We improve the upper bound for the consistency strength of stationary reflection at successors of singular cardinals.

We revisit several results concerning club principles and nonsaturation of the nonstationary ideal, attempting to improve them in various ways. So we typically deal with a ideal J extending the nonstationary ideal on a regular uncountable cardinal \, our goal being to witness the nonsaturation of J by the existence of towers ).

We show that it is consistent relative to a huge cardinal that for all infinite cardinals [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] holds and there is a stationary [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-saturated.