The history of productivity of the κ-chain condition in partial orders, topological spaces, or Boolean algebras is surveyed, and its connection to the set-theoretic notion of a weakly compact cardinal is highlighted. Then, it is proved that for every regular cardinal κ > א1, the principle □ is equivalent to the existence of a certain strong coloring c : [κ]2 → κ for which the family of fibers T is a nonspecial κ-Aronszajn tree. The theorem follows from an analysis of (...) a new characteristic function for walks on ordinals, and implies in particular that if the κ-chain condition is productive for a given regular cardinal κ > א1, then κ is weakly compact in some inner model of ZFC. This provides a partial converse to the fact that if κ is a weakly compact cardinal, then the κ-chain condition is productive. (shrink)

Since the work of Gödel and Cohen, which showed that Hilbert's First Problem was independent of the usual assumptions of mathematics, there have been a myriad of independence results in many areas of mathematics. These results have led to the systematic study of several combinatorial principles that have proven effective at settling many of the important independent statements. Among the most prominent of these are the principles diamond and square discovered by Jensen. Simultaneously, attempts have been made to find suitable (...) natural strengthenings of ZFC, primarily by Large Cardinal or Reflection Axioms. These two directions have tension between them in that Jensen's principles, which tend to suggest a rather rigid mathematical universe, are at odds with reflection properties. A third development was the discovery by Shelah of "PCF Theory", a generalization of cardinal arithmetic that is largely determined inside ZFC. In this paper we consider interactions between these three theories in the context of singular cardinals, focusing on the various implications between square and scales, and on consistency results between relatively strong forms of square and stationary set reflection. (shrink)

We define the property of Π2-compactness of a statement Φ of set theory, meaning roughly that the hard core of the impact of Φ on combinatorics of 1 can be isolated in a canonical model for the statement Φ. We show that the following statements are Π2-compact: “dominating NUMBER = 1,” “cofinality of the meager IDEAL = 1”, “cofinality of the null IDEAL = 1”, “bounding NUMBER = 1”, existence of various types of Souslin trees and variations on uniformity of (...) measure and CATEGORY = 1. Several important new metamathematical patterns among classical statements of set theory are pointed out. (shrink)

We prove a consistency result about square principles and stationary reflection which generalises the result of Ben-David and Magidor [4].

We present a construction of a global square sequence in extender models with λ-indexing.

Assuming some large cardinals, a model of ZFC is obtained in which $\aleph_{\omega+1}$ carries no Aronszajn trees. It is also shown that if $\lambda$ is a singular limit of strongly compact cardinals, then $\lambda^+$ carries no Aronszajn trees.

We prove thatµ=µ <µ , 2 µ =µ + and “there is a non-reflecting stationary subset ofµ + composed of ordinals of cofinality <μ” imply that there is a μ-complete Souslin tree onµ +.

We study combinatorial principles known as stick and club. Several variants of these principles and cardinal invariants connected to them are also considered. We introduce a new kind of side by-side product of partial orderings which we call pseudo-product. Using such products, we give several generic extensions where some of these principles hold together with ¬CH and Martin's axiom for countable p.o.-sets. An iterative version of the pseudo-product is used under an inaccessible cardinal to show the consistency of the club (...) principle for every stationary subset of limits of ω1 together with ¬CH and Martin's axiom for countable p.o.-sets. (shrink)

König, Larson and Yoshinobu initiated the study of principles for guessing generalized clubs, and introduced a construction of a higher Souslin tree from the strong guessing principle.Complementary to the author’s work on the validity of diamond and non-saturation at the successor of singulars, we deal here with a successor of regulars. It is established that even the non-strong guessing principle entails non-saturation, and that, assuming the necessary cardinal arithmetic configuration, entails a diamond-type principle which suffices for the construction of a (...) higher Souslin tree.We also establish the consistency of GCH with the failure of the weakest form of generalized club guessing. This, in particular, settles a question from the original paper. (shrink)

We present a general construction of a □κ-sequence in Jensen's fine structural extender models. This construction yields a local definition of a canonical □κ-sequence as well as a characterization of those cardinals κ, for which the principle □κ fails. Such cardinals are called subcompact and can be described in terms of elementary embeddings. Our construction is carried out abstractly, making use only of a few fine structural properties of levels of the model, such as solidity and condensation.

Since the work of Gödel and Cohen, which showed that Hilbert's First Problem was independent of the usual assumptions of mathematics, there have been a myriad of independence results in many areas of mathematics. These results have led to the systematic study of several combinatorial principles that have proven effective at settling many of the important independent statements. Among the most prominent of these are the principles diamond and square discovered by Jensen. Simultaneously, attempts have been made to find suitable (...) natural strengthenings of ZFC, primarily by Large Cardinal or Reflection Axioms. These two directions have tension between them in that Jensen's principles, which tend to suggest a rather rigid mathematical universe, are at odds with reflection properties. A third development was the discovery by Shelah of "PCF Theory", a generalization of cardinal arithmetic that is largely determined inside ZFC. In this paper we consider interactions between these three theories in the context of singular cardinals, focusing on the various implications between square and scales, and on consistency results between relatively strong forms of square and stationary set reflection. (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.

May the same graph admit two different chromatic numbers in two different universes? How about infinitely many different values? and can this be achieved without changing the cardinals structure? In this paper, it is proved that in Gödel’s constructible universe, for every uncountable cardinal \ below the first fixed-point of the \-function, there exists a graph \ satisfying the following:\ has size and chromatic number \;for every infinite cardinal \, there exists a cofinality-preserving \-preserving forcing extension in which \=\kappa \).

We present a variation of the forcing S max as presented in Woodin [4]. Our forcing is a P max -style construction where each model condition selects one Souslin tree. In the extension there is a Souslin tree T G which is the direct limit of the selected Souslin trees in the models of the generic. In some sense, the generic extension is a maximal model of "there exists a minimal Souslin tree," with T G being this minimal tree. In (...) particular, in the extension this Souslin tree has the property that forcing with it gives a model of Souslin's Hypothesis. (shrink)

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.