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Mathematical logic and foundations Definition

Mahlo cardinal

Builds on Inaccessible cardinalStationary setRegular cardinal

Definition

Let κ\kappa be an inaccessible cardinal. The cardinal κ\kappa is Mahlo if the set {λ<κ:λ is a regular cardinal}\set{\lambda < \kappa : \lambda \text{ is a regular cardinal}} is a stationary subset of κ\kappa, that is, it meets every closed unbounded subset of κ\kappa.

A weakly inaccessible cardinal κ\kappa with the same property is weakly Mahlo.

Remarks

For inaccessible κ\kappa, the uncountable strong limit cardinals below κ\kappa form a closed unbounded set. So κ\kappa is Mahlo if and only if the inaccessible cardinals below κ\kappa form a stationary set. The least inaccessible cardinal κ\kappa is not Mahlo. Indeed, a regular cardinal among the uncountable strong limit cardinals below κ\kappa would be an inaccessible cardinal below κ\kappa. So the set of regular cardinals below κ\kappa misses this closed unbounded set. If κ\kappa is Mahlo, then κ\kappa is the κ\kappa-th inaccessible cardinal. Every weakly compact cardinal is Mahlo.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 4 pages in order. The foundations come first.

Show the path as a graph
Each page uses the pages above it. The colour of the bar on a box shows how strong the evidence is, and the box also gives it as text. The list has the same pages.
  • no evidence level
  1. Inaccessible cardinal concept
  2. Regular cardinal concept
  3. Stationary set concept
  4. Mahlo cardinal definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahlo_cardinal
About this page
TagPGJNYGAN75
URIm2://PGJNYGAN75
Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC03E55
DefinesMahlo cardinal
UsesInaccessible cardinal, Stationary set, Regular cardinal
Changed2 November 2026

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