2
votes
2answers
131 views

Does the set of all ordinals strictly dominated by a given set exist in ZF?

How do I prove that $$ \{\alpha\in\mathsf{On}\,|\,\alpha\prec A\}\in V,$$ assuming $A\in V$? I know that if AC is assumed, this set is equal to $\mbox{card}(A):=\mu_\alpha(\alpha\approx A)$, and ...
2
votes
2answers
104 views

Possible inaccuracy in Wikipedia article about initial ordinals

I quote from the Wikipedia article: "So (assuming the axiom of choice) we identify $\omega_\alpha$ with $\aleph_\alpha$, except that the notation $\aleph_\alpha$ is used for writing cardinals, and ...
3
votes
3answers
215 views

Which set is unwell-orderable?

In textbook it says that every well-orderable set is equipotent to an initial ordinal number. However, of course unwell-orderable cannot equipotent to any ordinal number, but is there any set is ...
2
votes
2answers
140 views

Why would the axiom of choice be needed if ordinals are well-ordered without AC?

Will ordinals be well-ordered without AC? This seems to be obviously true, as they are by definition well-ordered. Why would we then need the axiom of choice. We can just form a bijection function to ...
0
votes
1answer
133 views

If $\kappa$ is a cardinal, $\aleph$ is any $\aleph$-number, and if $\kappa\leq\aleph$ then $\kappa$ can be well ordered as well.

I'm having trouble understanding the statement: If $\kappa$ is a cardinal, $\aleph$ is any $\aleph$-number, and if $\kappa\leq\aleph$ then $\kappa$ can be well ordered as well. I understand the ...
7
votes
2answers
182 views

$\varepsilon$-number countability without choice

Let $\alpha\mapsto\varepsilon_\alpha$ be the enumeration of the $\varepsilon$-numbers--that is, those $\alpha$ such that $\omega^\alpha=\alpha$--by the ordinals. If we know that countable unions of ...
4
votes
1answer
138 views

What is the smallest possible value of $\omega_1$ in $\mathrm{ZF}$?

It is consistent with $\mathrm{ZF}$ that a countable union of countable sets may be uncountable. As far as I understand it, this is because in absence of $\mathrm{AC}$ we cannot necessarily choose a ...
8
votes
4answers
197 views

Is there an element with no fixed point and of infinite order in $\operatorname{Sym}(X)$ for $X$ infinite?

Let $X$ be an infinite set. Let $\operatorname {Sym}(X)$ denote the group of all bijections from $X$ onto itself. I have been thinking about the existence of elements of infinite order in this group. ...
12
votes
1answer
2k views

The cardinality of a countable union of countable sets, without the axiom of choice

One of my homework questions was to prove, from the axioms of ZF only, that a countable union of countable sets does not have cardinality $\aleph_2$. My solution shows that it does not have ...
5
votes
2answers
722 views

Non-existence of a surjection $\aleph_n \to \aleph_{n+1}$, without the axiom of choice

Firstly, let's establish what exactly I mean by these symbols. Let $\omega_0 = \{ 0, 1, 2, \ldots \}$, where $0, 1, 2, \ldots$ are the usual von Neumann representations of the natural numbers. Let $n$ ...