Starting with two supercompact cardinals we produce a generic extension of the universe in which a principle that we call GM+ holds. This principle implies ISP and ISP, and hence th...

We define what it means for a function on ω1 to be a collapsing function for λ and show that if there exists a collapsing function for +, then there is no precipitous ideal on ω1. We show that a collapsing function for ω2 can be added by forcing. We define what it means to be a weakly ω1-Erdös cardinal and show that in L[E], there is a collapsing function for λ iff λ is less than the least weakly ω1-Erdös (...) cardinal. As a corollary to our results and a theorem of Neeman, the existence of a Woodin limit of Woodin cardinals does not imply the existence of precipitous ideals on ω1. We also show that the following statements hold in L[E]. The least cardinal λ with the Chang property ↠ is equal to the least ω1-Erdös cardinal. In particular, if j is a generic elementary embedding that arises from non-stationary tower forcing up to a Woodin cardinal, then the minimum possible value of j is the least ω1-Erdös cardinal. (shrink)

We consider the possible complexity of the set of reals belonging to an inner model M of set theory. We show that if this set is analytic then either 1M is countable or else all reals are in M. We also show that if an inner model contains a superperfect set of reals as a subset then it contains all reals. On the other hand, it is possible to have an inner model M whose reals are an uncountable Fσ set (...) and which does not have all reals. A similar construction shows that there can be an inner model M which computes correctly 1, contains a perfect set of reals as a subset and yet not all reals are in M. These results were motivated by questions of H. Friedman and K. Prikry. (shrink)

We show that it is relatively consistent with ZFC to have PCF structures of heightδ, for all ordinalsδ<ω3.

We isolate a condition on a class A of ordinals sufficient to Δ1-code it by a real in a class-generic extension of L. We then apply this condition to show that the class of ordinals of L-cofinality ω is Δ1 in a real of L-degree strictly below O#.

We present a direct proof of the consistency of the existence of a five element basis for the uncountable linear orders. Our argument is based on the approach of König, Larson, Moore and Veličković and simplifies the original proof of Moore.

Maharam algebras are complete Boolean algebras carrying a positive continuous submeasure. They were introduced and studied by Maharam [D. Maharam, An algebraic characterization of measure algebras, Ann. of Math. 48 154–167] in relation to Von Neumann’s problem on the characterization of measure algebras. The question whether every Maharam algebra is a measure algebra has been the main open problem in this area for around 60 years. It was finally resolved by Talagrand [M. Talagrand, Maharam’s problem, preprint, 31 pages, 2006] who (...) provided the first example of a Maharam algebra which is not a measure algebra. In this paper we survey some recent work on Maharam algebras in relation to the two conditions proposed by Von Neumann: weak distributivity and the countable chain condition. It turns out that by strengthening either one of these conditions one obtains a ZFC characterization of Maharam algebras. We also present some results on Maharam algebras as forcing notions showing that they share some of the well-known properties of measure algebras. (shrink)