Combinatorial Set Theory: With a Gentle Introduction to Forcing / Edition 2

by Lorenz J. Halbeisen

Overview

This book, now in a thoroughly revised second edition, provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to modern set theory.

Following an overview of basic notions in combinatorics and first-order logic, the author outlines the main topics of classical set theory in the second part, including Ramsey theory and the axiom of choice. The revised edition contains new permutation models and recent results in set theory without the axiom of choice. The third part explains the sophisticated technique of forcing in great detail, now including a separate chapter on Suslin’s problem. The technique is used to show that certain statements are neither provable nor disprovable from the axioms of set theory. In the final part, some topics of classical set theory are revisited and further developed in light of forcing, with new chapters on Sacks Forcing and Shelah’s astonishing construction of a model with finitely many Ramsey ultrafilters.

Written for graduate students in axiomatic set theory, Combinatorial Set Theory will appeal to all researchers interested in the foundations of mathematics. With extensive reference lists and historical remarks at the end of each chapter, this book is suitable for self-study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319868127
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	06/04/2019
Series:	Springer Monographs in Mathematics
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 2nd ed. 2017
Pages:	594
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Lorenz J. Halbeisen is Professor for Mathematical Logic and Set Theory at ETH Zurich.

Table of Contents

The Setting.- First-Order Logic in a Nutshell.- Axioms of Set Theory.- Overture: Ramsey's Theorem.- Cardinal Relations in ZF Only.- Forms of Choice.- How to Make Two Balls from One.- Models of Set Theory with Atoms.- Thirteen Cardinals and Their Relations.- The Shattering Number Revisited.- Happy Families and Their Relatives.- Coda: A Dual Form of Ramsey’s Theorem.- The Idea of Forcing.- Martin's Axiom.- The Notion of Forcing.- Proving Unprovability.- Models in Which AC Fails.- Combining Forcing Notions.- Models in Which p=c.- Suslin’s Problem.- Properties of Forcing Extensions.- Cohen Forcing Revisited.- Sacks Forcing.- Silver-Like Forcing Notions.- Miller Forcing.- Mathias Forcing.- How Many Ramsey Ultrafilters Exist?.- Combinatorial Properties of Sets of Partitions.- Suite.

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews:

“The text is very well organised; each chapter ends with useful notes containing much historical background and the source of the main results, together with reports on related results and the references. The beautifully written book is intended for students on graduate courses in axiomatic set theory, and it is also excellent as a text for self-study.” (Peter Shiu, The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 98 (541), March, 2014)

“The book under review provides a thorough and nicely written account of combinatorial set theory and infinite Ramsey theory together with a treatment of the underlying set theoretical axioms as well as of sophisticated methods which are involved in proving independence results. … I can recommend this book to all graduate students, PostDocs, and researchers who are interested in set theoretical combinatorics … . also mathematicians from other areas who are interested in the foundational aspects of their subject will enjoy this book.” (Ralf Schindler, Jahresbericht der Deutschen Mathematiker-Vereinigung, Vol. 115, 2013)

“This book provides a self-contained introduction to axiomatic set theory with main focus on infinitary combinatorics and the forcing technique. It is intended as a textbook in courses as well as for self-study. … The author gives the historical background and the sources of the main results in the Notes of each chapter. He also gives hints for further studies in his sections ‘Related results’.” (Martin Weese, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1237, 2012)

From the Publisher