In
mathematics, extendible cardinals are
large cardinal
In the mathematical field of set theory, a large cardinal property is a certain kind of property of transfinite cardinal numbers. Cardinals with such properties are, as the name suggests, generally very "large" (for example, bigger than the least ...
s introduced by , who was partly motivated by
reflection principles. Intuitively, such a cardinal represents a point beyond which initial pieces of the
universe of sets start to look similar, in the sense that each is
elementarily embeddable into a later one.
Definition
For every
ordinal ''η'', a
cardinal κ is called η-extendible if for some ordinal ''λ'' there is a nontrivial
elementary embedding In model theory, a branch of mathematical logic, two structures ''M'' and ''N'' of the same signature ''σ'' are called elementarily equivalent if they satisfy the same first-order ''σ''-sentences.
If ''N'' is a substructure of ''M'', one ofte ...
''j'' of ''V''
κ+η into ''V''
λ, where ''κ'' is the
critical point of ''j'', and as usual ''V
α'' denotes the ''α''th level of the
von Neumann hierarchy
The term ''von'' () is used in German language surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means ''of'' or ''from''.
Nobility directories like the ''Almanach de Go ...
. A cardinal ''κ'' is called an extendible cardinal if it is ''η''-extendible for every nonzero ordinal ''η'' (Kanamori 2003).
Variants and relation to other cardinals
A cardinal ''κ'' is called ''η-C
(n)''-extendible if there is an elementary embedding ''j'' witnessing that ''κ'' is ''η''-extendible (that is, ''j'' is elementary from ''V
κ+η'' to some ''V
λ'' with critical point ''κ'') such that furthermore, ''V
j(κ)'' is ''Σ
n''-correct in ''V''. That is, for every
''Σn'' formula ''φ'', ''φ'' holds in ''V
j(κ)'' if and only if ''φ'' holds in ''V''. A cardinal ''κ'' is said to be C
(n)-extendible if it is ''η-C
(n)''-extendible for every ordinal ''η''. Every extendible cardinal is ''C
(1)''-extendible, but for ''n≥1'', the least ''C
(n)''-extendible cardinal is never ''C
(n+1)''-extendible (Bagaria 2011).
Vopěnka's principle In mathematics, Vopěnka's principle is a large cardinal axiom.
The intuition behind the axiom is that the set-theoretical universe is so large that in every proper class, some members are similar to others, with this similarity formalized through ...
implies the existence of extendible cardinals; in fact, Vopěnka's principle (for definable classes) is equivalent to the existence of ''C
(n)''-extendible cardinals for all ''n'' (Bagaria 2011). All extendible cardinals are
supercompact cardinal In set theory, a supercompact cardinal is a type of large cardinal. They display a variety of reflection properties.
Formal definition
If ''λ'' is any ordinal, ''κ'' is ''λ''-supercompact means that there exists an elementary ...
s (Kanamori 2003).
See also
*
List of large cardinal properties
This page includes a list of cardinals with large cardinal properties. It is arranged roughly in order of the consistency strength of the axiom asserting the existence of cardinals with the given property. Existence of a cardinal number κ of a g ...
*
Reinhardt cardinal
References
*
*
*
*
Large cardinals
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