We investigate, in ZFC, the behavior of abstract elementary classes categorical in many successive small cardinals. We prove for example that a universal $\mathbb {L}_{\omega _1, \omega }$ sentence categorical on an end segment of cardinals below $\beth _\omega $ must be categorical also everywhere above $\beth _\omega $. This is done without any additional model-theoretic hypotheses and generalizes to the much broader framework of tame AECs with weak amalgamation and coherent sequences.

Fisher [10] and Baur [6] showed independently in the seventies that if T is a complete first-order theory extending the theory of modules, then the class of models of T with pure embeddings is stable. In [25, 2.12], it is asked if the same is true for any abstract elementary class $(K, \leq _p)$ such that K is a class of modules and $\leq _p$ is the pure submodule relation. In this paper we give some instances where this is true:Theorem.Assume (...) R is an associative ring with unity. Let $(K, \leq _p)$ be an AEC such that $K \subseteq R\text {-Mod}$ and K is closed under finite direct sums, then: •If K is closed under pure-injective envelopes, then $\mathbf {K}$ is $\lambda $ -stable for every $\lambda \geq \operatorname {LS}(\mathbf {K})$ such that $\lambda ^{|R| + \aleph _0}= \lambda $.•If K is closed under pure submodules and pure epimorphic images, then $\mathbf {K}$ is $\lambda $ -stable for every $\lambda $ such that $\lambda ^{|R| + \aleph _0}= \lambda $.•Assume R is Von Neumann regular. If $\mathbf {K}$ is closed under submodules and has arbitrarily large models, then $\mathbf {K}$ is $\lambda $ -stable for every $\lambda $ such that $\lambda ^{|R| + \aleph _0}= \lambda $.As an application of these results we give new characterizations of noetherian rings, pure-semisimple rings, Dedekind domains, and fields via superstability. Moreover, we show how these results can be used to show a link between being good in the stability hierarchy and being good in the axiomatizability hierarchy.Another application is the existence of universal models with respect to pure embeddings in several classes of modules. Among them, the class of flat modules and the class of $\mathfrak {s}$ -torsion modules. (shrink)

We study Martsinkovsky–Russell torsion modules with pure embeddings as an abstract elementary class. We give a model-theoretic characterization of the pure-injective and the Σ-pure-injective modules relative to the class of torsion modules assuming that the torsion submodule is a pure submodule. Our characterization of relative Σ-pure-injective modules extends the classical characterization of Gruson and Jenson as well as Zimmermann. We study the limit models of the class and determine when the class is superstable assuming that the torsion submodule is a (...) pure submodule. As a corollary, we show that the class of torsion abelian groups with pure embeddings is strictly stable (i.e., stable not superstable). (shrink)

Assuming the existence of a monster model, tameness, and continuity of nonsplitting in an abstract elementary class (AEC), we extend known superstability results: let $\mu>\operatorname {LS}(\mathbf {K})$ be a regular stability cardinal and let $\chi $ be the local character of $\mu $ -nonsplitting. The following holds: 1.When $\mu $ -nonforking is restricted to $(\mu,\geq \chi )$ -limit models ordered by universal extensions, it enjoys invariance, monotonicity, uniqueness, existence, extension, and continuity. It also has local character $\chi $. This generalizes (...) Vasey’s result [37, Corollary 13.16] which assumed $\mu $ -superstability to obtain same properties but with local character $\aleph _0$.2.There is $\lambda \in [\mu,h(\mu ))$ such that if $\mathbf {K}$ is stable in every cardinal between $\mu $ and $\lambda $, then $\mathbf {K}$ has $\mu $ -symmetry while $\mu $ -nonforking in (1) has symmetry. In this case:(a) $\mathbf {K}$ has the uniqueness of $(\mu,\geq \chi )$ -limit models: if $M_1,M_2$ are both $(\mu,\geq \chi )$ -limit over some $M_0\in K_{\mu }$, then $M_1\cong _{M_0}M_2$ ;(b)any increasing chain of $\mu ^+$ -saturated models of length $\geq \chi $ has a $\mu ^+$ -saturated union. These generalize [31] and remove the symmetry assumption in [10, 38].Under $(<\mu )$ -tameness, the conclusions of (1), (2)(a)(b) are equivalent to $\mathbf {K}$ having the $\chi $ -local character of $\mu $ -nonsplitting.Grossberg and Vasey [18, 38] gave eventual superstability criteria for tame AECs with a monster model. We remove the high cardinal threshold and reduce the cardinal jump between equivalent superstability criteria. We also add two new superstability criteria to the list: a weaker version of solvability and the boundedness of the U-rank. (shrink)

We show that certain classes of modules have universal models with respect to pure embeddings: Let R be a ring, T a first‐order theory with an infinite model extending the theory of R‐modules and (where ⩽pp stands for “pure submodule”). Assume has the joint embedding and amalgamation properties. If or, then has a universal model of cardinality λ. As a special case, we get a recent result of Shelah [28, 1.2] concerning the existence of universal reduced torsion‐free abelian groups with (...) respect to pure embeddings.We begin the study of limit models for classes of R‐modules with joint embedding and amalgamation. We show that limit models with chains of long cofinality are pure‐injective and we characterize limit models with chains of countable cofinality. This can be used to answer [18, Question 4.25].As this paper is aimed at model theorists and algebraists an effort was made to provide the background for both. (shrink)