Special ultrafilters and cofinal subsets of \(({}^\omega \omega, <^*)\) (Q2204380)

From the author's abstract: ``The interplay between ultrafilters and unbounded subsets of \(^{\omega}\omega\) with the [partial] order \(<^*\) of strict eventual domination is studied.'' The paper itself is an expansion and updating of a set of notes that the author privately circulated in the 1980s. \par The partial ordering \(<^*\) is defined as follows: For \(f,g \in ^{\omega}\omega\), \(f<^* g\) if and only if \(\{i\in \omega\mid f(i)<g(i) \}\) is a cofinite subset of \(\omega\). Playing a role in the study of \((^{\omega}\omega, <^*)\) are the cardinal invariants \(\mathfrak{b}\) and \(\mathfrak{d}\), where \(\mathfrak{b}\) is the smallest cardinality of a cofinal subset of \((^{\omega}\omega, <^*)\) and \(\mathfrak{d}\) is the smallest cardinality of an unbounded subset of \((^{\omega}\omega, <^*)\). Both are uncountable and \(\leq 2^{\aleph_0}\), and it is the case that \(\mathfrak{b}\leq \mathfrak{d}\). (Several other cardinal invariants, amongst them the splitting number and reaping number, play a role, but will be omitted from this review.) \par Special free ultrafilters, namely simple \(P_{\kappa}\)-points for \(\kappa\) a regular cardinal, are a tool in the author's investigation. A free ultrafilter \(\mathcal{U}\) on \(\omega\) is a simple \(P_{\kappa}\)-point if it has a base that is totally ordered under the relation of almost inclusion (\(\subset^*\)) and of cofinality \(\kappa\) in the reverse order of \(\subset^*\). \par The author points out in his introduction that the assertion that simple P-points exist is independent of ZFC, and if they exist, the cofinality of a base with respect to the reverse of the ordering \(\subset^*\) of almost inclusion must be either \(\mathfrak{b}\) or \(\mathfrak{d}\). The existence of a ZFC model where \(\mathfrak{b}<\mathfrak{d}\) and there are both simple \(P_{\mathfrak{b}}\) and simple \(P_{\mathfrak{d}}\)-points has proved to be elusive. But the author does establish the existence of a model where \(\mathfrak{b}<\mathfrak{d}\) and in which there are simple \(P_{\mathfrak{b}}\) points. \par In \S 2 and \S 3 of the paper, the author introduces generalizations of these two types of simple P-points: ultrafilters with a \(\pi\)-base of cardinality \(<\mathfrak{d}\) and pseudo-\(P_{\kappa}\)-points where \(\kappa>\mathfrak{b}\). The presence of either type results in \(\mathfrak{b}<\mathfrak{d}\). \par The free ultrafilter \(\mathcal{U}\) on \(\omega\) defines the following partial ordering \(<_{\mathcal{U}}\) on \(^{\omega}\omega\): \(f<_{\mathcal{U}} g\) if and only if \(\{n \mid f(n)<g(n)\}\in\mathcal{U}\) , i.e., \(f<g\) in the ultrapower \(^{\omega}\omega/ \mathcal{U}\). Clearly, \(f<^*g\) if and only if \(f<_{\mathcal{U}} g\) for every free ultrafilter \(\mathcal{U}\). In \S4, the author presents six axioms that postulate the behavior of \(<^*\) unbounded chains modulo ultrafilers. From the author's introduction: ``The main axioms pertain to whether \(<^*\)-unbounded chains are also \(<_{\mathcal{U}}\)-unbounded for some or all free ultrafilters \(\mathcal{U}\).'' In the following, \(\mathcal{C}\) is a \(<^*\)-unbounded, \(<^*\)-well-ordered family of increasing functions, \(\mathcal{U}\) is a free ultrafilter on \(\omega\), and \(\mathcal{C}\) is cofinal with respect to \(<_{\mathcal{U}}\). For example, the first (and logically strongest) axiom is \(\forall \mathcal{C}(\forall\mathcal{U}(\mathcal{C}\, \text{is}\,\, \mathcal{U}-\text{unbounded}))\), while the weakest is \(\exists \mathcal{C}(\exists\mathcal{U}(\mathcal{C}\, \text{is}\,\, \mathcal{U}-\text{unbounded}))\) \par In \S4--\S6, questions about the axioms singly or in combination are explored. This leads to several open problems. Additional axioms are introduced and studied. The paper's final section briefly addresses a generalization where unbounded chains are replaced by unbounded upwards directed subsets,