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Condensation lemma

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In set theory, a branch of mathematics, the condensation lemma is a result about sets in the constructible universe.

It states that if X is a transitive set and is an elementary submodel of some level of the constructible hierarchy Lα, that is, ( X , ) ( L α , ) {\displaystyle (X,\in )\prec (L_{\alpha },\in )} , then in fact there is some ordinal β α {\displaystyle \beta \leq \alpha } such that X = L β {\displaystyle X=L_{\beta }} .

More can be said: If X is not transitive, then its transitive collapse is equal to some L β {\displaystyle L_{\beta }} , and the hypothesis of elementarity can be weakened to elementarity only for formulas which are Σ 1 {\displaystyle \Sigma _{1}} in the Lévy hierarchy. Also, Devlin showed the assumption that X is transitive automatically holds when α = ω 1 {\displaystyle \alpha =\omega _{1}} .

The lemma was formulated and proved by Kurt Gödel in his proof that the axiom of constructibility implies GCH.

References

Inline citations

  1. R. B. Jensen, The Fine Structure of the Constructible Hierarchy (1972), p.246. Accessed 13 January 2023.
  2. W. Marek, M. Srebrny, "Gaps in the Constructible Universe" (1973), p.364.
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