Diamond principle

In mathematics, and particularly in axiomatic set theory, the diamond principle ◊ is a combinatorial principle introduced by Ronald Jensen in that holds in the constructible universe (L) and that implies the continuum hypothesis. Jensen extracted the diamond principle from his proof that the axiom of constructibility (V = L) implies the existence of a Suslin tree. The diamond principle ◊ says that there exists a , a family of sets Aα ⊆ α for α < ω1 such that for any subset A of ω1 the set of α with A ∩ α = Aα is stationary in ω1. There are several equivalent forms of the diamond principle. One states that there is a countable collection Aα of subsets of α for each countable ordinal α such that for any subset A of ω1 there is a stationary subset C of ω1 such that for all α in C we have A ∩ α ∈ Aα and C ∩ α ∈ Aα. Another equivalent form states that there exist sets Aα ⊆ α for α < ω1 such that for any subset A of ω1 there is at least one infinite α with A ∩ α = Aα. More generally, for a given cardinal number κ and a stationary set S ⊆ κ, the statement ◊S (sometimes written ◊(S) or ◊κ(S)) is the statement that there is a sequence ⟨Aα : α ∈ S⟩ such that each Aα ⊆ α for every A ⊆ κ, {α ∈ S : A ∩ α = Aα} is stationary in κ The principle ◊ω1 is the same as ◊. The diamond-plus principle ◊+ states that there exists a ◊+-sequence, in other words a countable collection Aα of subsets of α for each countable ordinal α such that for any subset A of ω1 there is a closed unbounded subset C of ω1 such that for all α in C we have A ∩ α ∈ Aα and C ∩ α ∈ Aα. showed that the diamond principle ◊ implies the existence of Suslin trees. He also showed that V = L implies the diamond-plus principle, which implies the diamond principle, which implies CH. In particular the diamond principle and the diamond-plus principle are both independent of the axioms of ZFC. Also ♣ + CH implies ◊, but Shelah gave models of ♣ + ¬ CH, so ◊ and ♣ are not equivalent (rather, ♣ is weaker than ◊).

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Related concepts (2)

Axiom of constructibility

The axiom of constructibility is a possible axiom for set theory in mathematics that asserts that every set is constructible. The axiom is usually written as V = L, where V and L denote the von Neumann universe and the constructible universe, respectively. The axiom, first investigated by Kurt Gödel, is inconsistent with the proposition that zero sharp exists and stronger large cardinal axioms (see list of large cardinal properties). Generalizations of this axiom are explored in inner model theory.

Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory

In set theory, Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory, named after mathematicians Ernst Zermelo and Abraham Fraenkel, is an axiomatic system that was proposed in the early twentieth century in order to formulate a theory of sets free of paradoxes such as Russell's paradox. Today, Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory, with the historically controversial axiom of choice (AC) included, is the standard form of axiomatic set theory and as such is the most common foundation of mathematics.