Paper 3, Section II, 16G

Logic and Set Theory
Part II, 2021

(a) Let κ\kappa and λ\lambda be cardinals. What does it mean to say that κ<λ\kappa<\lambda ? Explain briefly why, assuming the Axiom of Choice, every infinite cardinal is of the form α\aleph_{\alpha} for some ordinal α\alpha, and that for every ordinal α\alpha we have α+1<22α\aleph_{\alpha+1}<2^{2^{\aleph_{\alpha}}}.

(b) Henceforth, you should not assume the Axiom of Choice.

Show that, for any set xx, there is an injection from xx to its power set Px\mathcal{P} x, but there is no bijection from xx to Px\mathcal{P} x. Deduce that if κ\kappa is a cardinal then κ<2κ\kappa<2^{\kappa}.

Let xx and yy be sets, and suppose that there exists a surjection f:xyf: x \rightarrow y. Show that there exists an injection g:PyPxg: \mathcal{P} y \rightarrow \mathcal{P} x.

Let α\alpha be an ordinal. Prove that αα=α\aleph_{\alpha} \aleph_{\alpha}=\aleph_{\alpha}.

By considering P(ωα×ωα)\mathcal{P}\left(\omega_{\alpha} \times \omega_{\alpha}\right) as the set of relations on ωα\omega_{\alpha}, or otherwise, show that there exists a surjection f:P(ωα×ωα)ωα+1f: \mathcal{P}\left(\omega_{\alpha} \times \omega_{\alpha}\right) \rightarrow \omega_{\alpha+1}. Deduce that α+1<22κα\aleph_{\alpha+1}<2^{2^{\kappa_{\alpha}}}.