Math 2.0

Mathematical logic and foundations Definition

Proper forcing axiom

Builds on Martin's axiomForcingStationary set

Definition

Partial orders, dense sets and filters are as in Martin's axiom. For an uncountable set λ\lambda, let [λ]ω[\lambda]^{\omega} be the set of countable subsets of λ\lambda. A set C⊆[λ]ωC \subseteq [\lambda]^\omega is club if both conditions hold. It contains the union of each increasing sequence x0⊆x1⊆⋯x_0 \subseteq x_1 \subseteq \cdots of its members. Each countable subset of λ\lambda is contained in a member of CC. A set S⊆[λ]ωS \subseteq [\lambda]^\omega is stationary if it meets each club subset of [λ]ω[\lambda]^\omega. A partial order PP is proper if forcing with PP preserves stationarity: for each uncountable λ\lambda, each stationary S⊆[λ]ωS \subseteq [\lambda]^\omega stays stationary in the generic extension. The proper forcing axiom, PFA, is the following statement. Let PP be a proper partial order, and let 𝒟\mathcal{D} be a family of at most ℵ1\aleph_1 dense subsets of PP. Then some filter on PP meets every member of 𝒟\mathcal{D}.

Remarks

Example: each ccc partial order is proper, so PFA implies MAℵ1\mathrm{MA}_{\aleph_1}. Each countably closed partial order is proper too. Non-example: the partial order that collapses ω1\omega_1 to be countable, by finite partial functions from ω\omega to ω1\omega_1, is not proper. Proper forcings preserve ω1\omega_1, while this one makes ω1\omega_1 countable. Baumgartner proved that PFA is consistent relative to a supercompact cardinal. PFA implies 2ℵ0=ℵ22^{\aleph_0} = \aleph_2, and it implies that every two ℵ1\aleph_1-dense sets of reals are order isomorphic. These notions extend the stationary sets of a cardinal to sets of countable subsets.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 42 pages in order. The foundations come first.

  1. Element definition
  2. Forcing concept
  3. Proposition concept
  4. Set bounded above definition
  5. Set definition
  6. Implication definition
  7. Predicate definition
  8. Supremum definition
  9. Ordered pair definition
  10. Existential quantifier definition
  11. Universal quantifier definition
  12. Cartesian product definition
  13. Subset definition
  14. Uniqueness quantifier definition
  15. Binary relation definition
  16. Power set definition
  17. Antisymmetric relation definition
  18. Reflexive relation definition
  19. Transitive relation definition
  20. Function definition
  21. Preorder definition
  22. Codomain definition
  23. Injective function definition
  24. Partial order definition
  25. Surjective function definition
  26. Least element definition
  27. Total order definition
  28. Bijective function definition
  29. Well-order definition
  30. Countably infinite set definition
  31. Equinumerous sets definition
  32. Ordinal number definition
  33. Cardinality definition
  34. Cardinal number definition
  35. Cofinality definition
  36. Aleph-null object
  37. Regular cardinal definition
  38. Club set definition
  39. Cardinality of the continuum object
  40. Stationary set definition
  41. Martin's axiom definition
  42. Proper forcing axiom definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proper_forcing_axiom
About this page
TagKJT0AXWQXP
URIm2://KJT0AXWQXP
Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC03E57, 03E50
DefinesProper forcing axiom
UsesMartin's axiom, Forcing, Stationary set
Changed2 November 2026

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