In set theory, a maximality principle is a principle that asserts some maximality property of the universe of sets or some part thereof. Set theorists have formulated a variety of maximality principles in order to settle statements left undecided by current standard set theory. In addition, philosophers of mathematics have explored maximality principles whilst attempting to prove categoricity theorems for set theory or providing criteria for selecting foundational theories. This article reviews recent work concerned with the formulation, investigation and justification (...) of maximality principles. (shrink)

We study various classes of maximality principles, \\), introduced by Hamkins :527–550, 2003), where \ defines a class of forcing posets and \ is an infinite cardinal. We explore the consistency strength and the relationship of \\) with various forcing axioms when \. In particular, we give a characterization of bounded forcing axioms for a class of forcings \ in terms of maximality principles MP\\) for \ formulas. A significant part of the paper is devoted to studying the principle MP\\) (...) where \ and \ defines the class of stationary set preserving forcings. We show that MP\\) has high consistency strength; on the other hand, if \ defines the class of proper forcings or semi-proper forcings, then by Hamkins, MP\\) is consistent relative to \. (shrink)

A cardinal κ is tall if for every ordinal θ there is an embedding j: V → M with critical point κ such that j > θ and Mκ ⊆ M. Every strong cardinal is tall and every strongly compact cardinal is tall, but measurable cardinals are not necessarily tall. It is relatively consistent, however, that the least measurable cardinal is tall. Nevertheless, the existence of a tall cardinal is equiconsistent with the existence of a strong cardinal. Any tall cardinal (...) κ can be made indestructible by a variety of forcing notions, including forcing that pumps up the value of 2κ as high as desired. (shrink)

l investigate versions of the Maximality Principles for the classes of forcings which are <κ-closed. <κ-directed-closed, or of the form Col (κ. <Λ). These principles come in many variants, depending on the parameters which are allowed. I shall write MPΓ(A) for the maximality principle for forcings in Γ, with parameters from A. The main results of this paper are: • The principles have many consequences, such as <κ-closed-generic $\Sigma _{2}^{1}(H_{\kappa})$ absoluteness, and imply. e.g., that ◇κ holds. I give an application (...) to the automorphism tower problem, showing that there are Souslin trees which are able to realize any equivalence relation, and hence that there are groups whose automorphism tower is highly sensitive to forcing. • The principles can be separated into a hierarchy which is strict, for many κ. • Some of the principles can be combined, in the sense that they can hold at many different κ simultaneously. The possibilities of combining the principles are limited, though: While it is consistent that MP<κ-closed(HκT) holds at all regular κ below any fixed α. the "global" maximality principle, stating that MP<κ-closed(Hκ ∪ {κ}) holds at every regular κ. is inconsistent. In contrast to this, it is equiconsistent with ZFC that the maximality principle for directed-closed forcings without any parameters holds at every regular cardinal. It is also consistent that every local statement with parameters from HκT that's provably <κ-closed-forceably necessary is true, for all regular κ. (shrink)

The following will be shown: Let I be a σ-ideal on a Polish space X so that the associated forcing of I+${\bf{\Delta }}_1^1$ sets ordered by ⊆ is a proper forcing. Let E be a ${\bf{\Sigma }}_1^1$ or a ${\bf{\Pi }}_1^1$ equivalence relation on X with all equivalence classes ${\bf{\Delta }}_1^1$. If for all $z \in {H_{{{\left}^ + }}}$, z♯ exists, then there exists an I+${\bf{\Delta }}_1^1$ set C ⊆ X such that E ↾ C is a ${\bf{\Delta }}_1^1$ equivalence (...) relation. (shrink)