For a set x, let ${\cal S}\left$ be the set of all permutations of x. We prove in ZF several results concerning this notion, among which are the following: For all sets x such that ${\cal S}\left$ is Dedekind infinite, $\left| {{{\cal S}_{{\rm{fin}}}}\left} \right| < \left| {{\cal S}\left} \right|$ and there are no finite-to-one functions from ${\cal S}\left$ into ${{\cal S}_{{\rm{fin}}}}\left$, where ${{\cal S}_{{\rm{fin}}}}\left$ denotes the set of all permutations of x which move only finitely many elements. For all sets (...) x such that ${\cal S}\left$ is Dedekind infinite, $\left| {{\rm{seq}}\left} \right| < \left| {{\cal S}\left} \right|$ and there are no finite-to-one functions from ${\cal S}\left$ into seq, where seq denotes the set of all finite sequences of elements of x. For all infinite sets x such that there exists a permutation of x without fixed points, there are no finite-to-one functions from ${\cal S}\left$ into x. For all sets x, $|{[x]^2}| < \left| {{\cal S}\left} \right|$. (shrink)

For a set x, let S(x) be the set of all permutations of x. We prove by the method of permutation models that the following statements are consistent with ZF: (1) There is an infinite set x such that |p(x)|<|S(x)|<|seq^1-1(x)|<|seq(x)|, where p(x) is the powerset of x, seq(x) is the set of all finite sequences of elements of x, and seq^1-1(x) is the set of all finite sequences of elements of x without repetition. (2) There is a Dedekind infinite set (...) x such that |S(x)|<|[x]^3| and such that there exists a surjection from x onto S(x). (3) There is an infinite set x such that there is a finite-to-one function from S(x) into x. (shrink)

Journal of Mathematical Logic, Ahead of Print. Bagaria and Magidor introduced the notion of almost strong compactness, which is very close to the notion of strong compactness. Boney and Brooke-Taylor asked whether the least almost strongly compact cardinal is strongly compact. Goldberg gives a positive answer in the case [math] holds from below and the least almost strongly compact cardinal has uncountable cofinality. In this paper, we give a negative answer for the general case. Our result also gives an affirmative (...) answer to a question of Bagaria and Magidor. (shrink)

In this paper, we characterize the possible cofinalities of the least $\lambda $ -strongly compact cardinal. We show that, on the one hand, for any regular cardinal, $\delta $, that carries a $\lambda $ -complete uniform ultrafilter, it is consistent, relative to the existence of a supercompact cardinal above $\delta $, that the least $\lambda $ -strongly compact cardinal has cofinality $\delta $. On the other hand, provably the cofinality of the least $\lambda $ -strongly compact cardinal always carries a (...) $\lambda $ -complete uniform ultrafilter. (shrink)