Questions tagged [independence-results]
This tag is for questions about proving that some statement is independent from a theory, meaning it is neither provable nor refutable from that theory. Common examples are the continuum hypothesis from the axioms of ZFC, and the axiom of choice from the axioms of ZF.
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Can the Collatz conjecture be independent of ZFC? [closed]
It is known that the Continuum Hypothesis is independent of ZFC.
The formulation of the Collatz conjecture looks somehow more simple than that of the Continuum Hypothesis.
Is it possible that the ...
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What's the earliest result (outside of logic) that cannot be proven constructively?
Although mathematicians usually do not work in constructive mathematics per se, their results often are constructively valid (even if the original proof isn't).
An obvious counter-example is the law ...
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When can a function defined on $[a, b] \cup [b, c]$ be constructively extended to a function defined on $[a, c]$?
Let $a, b, c \in \mathbb R$ such that $a \le b \le c$. Let $S$ be some set and $f : [a, b] \cup [b, c] \to S$ be a function. When can we find a function $g : [a, c] \to S$ that meets the following ...
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Questions about very fat sets
If $\kappa$ is a regular uncountable cardinal, we call a set $S\subseteq\kappa$ fat if for every $\alpha<\kappa$ and every club $C\subseteq\kappa$, there is a closed subset of $S\cap C$ of ...
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CH and the existence of a Borel partition of small cardinality
Say $\kappa$ is small if any set of cardinality $\kappa$ has outer-Lebesgue measure zero. We know that, in the Cohen model of ZFC where CH is false, there is a Borel partition of the unit interval of ...
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Independence and truth in PA
By $\textbf{PA}$ I will mean the usual first-order Peano Arithmetic. I will denote an element of $\mathbb{N}$ by $n$, and by $[n]$ I will denote the corresponding term in the language of $\textbf{PA}$:...
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A surjection from square onto power: Is limit Hartogs/Lindenbaum number necessary?
I am considering the construction in [Peng—Shen—Wu] in which the authors show the consistency of a set $X$ such that there is a surjection from $X^2$ onto the power set of $X$ (henceforth $\mathscr{P}(...
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The existence of definable subsets of finite sets in NBG
This question is motivated by my preceding MO-question on (in)consistency of NBG theory of classes.
Let $\varphi(x,Y,C)$ be a formula of NBG with free parameters $x,Y,C$ and all quantifiers running ...
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A contradiction in the Set Theory of von Neumann–Bernays–Gödel?
Thinking on the theory NBG (of von Neumann–Bernays–Gödel) I arrived at the conclusion that it is contradictory using an argument resembling Russell's Paradox. I am sure that I made a mistake in my ...
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A strong form of the Axiom Schema of Replacement
Let us consider the following stronger version of the Axiom Schema of Replacement (let us call it the Axiom Schema of Replacement for Definable Relations):
Let $\varphi$ be any formula in the language ...
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$\mathsf{AC}_\mathsf{WO}+\mathsf{AC}^\mathsf{WO}\Rightarrow \mathsf{AC}$?
Let
$\mathsf{AC}_\mathsf{WO}$: Every well-orderable family of non-empty sets has a choice function.
$\mathsf{AC}^\mathsf{WO}$: Every family of non-empty well-orderable sets has a choice function.
My ...
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The "absolute" version of the Axiom Schema of Replacement in ZFC
The well-known Axiom Schema of Replacement in ZFC says that for any formula $\varphi$ of the Set Theory with free variables among $w_1,\dots,w_n,A,x,y$ the following holds:
$$\forall w_1,\dots,w_n\;\...
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Why can we assume a ctm of ZFC exists in forcing
Following Kunen's book, it makes clear that countable transitive models (ctm) exist only for a finite list of axioms of ZFC. So, why can we assume a ctm of the whole ZFC axioms exists and use it as ...
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Is $\mathfrak q_0$ equal to the smallest cardinality of a second-countable $T_1$-space which is not a $Q$-space?
A topological space $X$ is a $Q$-space if every subset of $X$ is of type $G_\delta$.
The smallest cardinality of a metrizable separable space which is not a $Q$-space is denoted by $\mathfrak q_0$ and ...
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Is every first-countable Lindelof space of cardinality $<\mathfrak c$ a $Q$-space under MA?
Definition. A topological space $X$ is a $Q$-space if every subset of $X$ is of type $G_\delta$.
It is clear that every $Q$-space has countable pseudocharacter (= all singletons are $G_\delta$) and is ...
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