The Lindelöf number of a power; an introduction to the use of elementary submodels in general topology (Q1330402)

Let \(\text{LIND} (\kappa)\) be the one-point compactification of the discrete space of size \(\kappa \geq \omega\). Theorem. The Lindelöf number of \(\text{(LIND} (\kappa))^\omega = \omega_1\). While this theorem is interesting in itself, the author is more interested in using its proof, as the subtitle indicates, as a way to introduce the reader to the use of elementary submodels in general topology. So first he gives a standard combinatorial proof, which is short, elegant, and nearly impenetrable --- where does its structure come from? Then he carefully motivates an elementary submodel proof, whose virtue is, as he points out, that ``the entity we search for is sitting in front of our noses'' - -- no deep intuitions about combinatorial structures are needed here. He then gives the elementary submodel proof in the standard way it would appear, and finally gives a heuristic for such proofs. Anyone unsure about this important technique, in any area in which set theory has been fruitfully applied, would be well advised to read this article.