On needed reals (Q1885646)

Extending work of \textit{A. Blass} [Ann. Pure Appl. Logic 109, No. 1--2, 77--88 (2001; Zbl 0980.03055)] and answering some problems posed by him, the authors study the notion of {needed real} for a cardinal characteristic of the continuum: A set of reals \(D\) is {dominating} with respect to a (binary) relation \(R\) on the real line if for each \(x\) in the domain of \(R\), there is \(y\) in \(F\) such that \(xRy\). A real number \(a\) is {needed} with respect to \(R\) if in each \(D\) which is dominating with respect to \(R\), there is an element from which \(a\) is Turing computable. Replacing ``dominating'' by ``dominating with minimal cardinality'' we get the related notion of being {weakly needed} with respect to \(R\). The authors consider various important cases of cardinal characteristics of the continuum. The main results of the paper's 7 sections are as follows: (i) Every real needed for the cofinality relation on the ideal of (Borel) Lebesgue null sets is hyperarithmetic. (ii) The analogous statement for the slalom relation also holds. (iii) Sufficient conditions on a relation \(R\) for the result of Sections 1--2 to hold for it. (iv) A forcing extension where all hyperarithmetic reals are weakly needed for the reaping relation. (v) Consistently, there are more weakly needed reals than needed reals. (vi) A bound on the complexity of needed reals for the reaping relation is obtained, and it is shown that consistently, weakly needed reals and needed reals for the reaping relation do not coincide. (vii) A sufficient condition on \(R\) for weakly needed reals coinciding with needed reals. An example is supplied.