Brezis-Browder principle and dependent choice (Q2919600)

The axiom of Dependent Choices (DC) asserts that for any nonempty set \(M\) and any relation \(\mathcal R\subset M\times M\) with dom \(\mathcal R=M\), there exists a sequence \((a_n : n\in\mathbb N)\) in \(M\) such that \(a_n\mathcal R a_{n+1}\) for all \(n\in\mathbb N\). This axiom, considered by A. Tarski in 1948, is weaker than the Axiom of Choice and stronger than the Axiom of Countable Choice. The author proves that Brezis-Browder maximality principle can be proved using only the Zermelo-Frenkel axioms for set theory plus (DC). As it is known, Brezis Browder maximality principle (BB) implies Ekeland Variational Principle (EVP), the two principles being in fact logically equivalent. The author considers also some other variational principles: one proved by Cârjă and Ursescu (called (CU)), a variant of (EVP) called the monotone (EVP) and denoted by (EVPm), etc. In the final stage he shows that (DC) is deductible from a certain discrete Lipschitz countable version of EVP, proving so the equivalence of all these principles to the axiom of Dependent Choices. These results continue author's preoccupation with the fine analysis of some very general conditions, concerning the order, the metrics and the values of functions, under which various types of variational principles hold.