Stable domination and weight (Q639661)

Concepts of weight and domination are introduced for types in an arbitrary first-order theory (via forking) and studied for types which are dominated by a stable type. If \(p=\mathrm{tp}(\bar a/A)\) is dominated by a stable type over \(A\) it is proved that: 1) \(p\) is domination-equivalent to a stable type (of an infinite tuple) over \(A\); as a witnessing tuple the stable part of \(\bar a\) over \(A\) can be taken; 2) If \(T\) is strong in the sense of [\textit{H. Adler}, ``Strong theories, burden, and weight'', Preprint (2007)] then \(p\) is domination-equivalent to a finite product of stable, weight-1 types; 3) If \(T\) is dependent and \(A\) is a model then \(p\) is stably dominated. The definition of stable domination here slightly differs from the original one from [\textit{D. Haskell}, \textit{E. Hrushovski} and \textit{H. D. Macpherson}, Stable domination and independence in algebraically closed valued fields. Lecture Notes in Logic 30. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (2008; Zbl 1149.03027)] and in the Appendix it is sketched how a proof of the theorem of ``descent'' (Theorem 4.9 in the book) can be adapted to the present context. A careful reader may notice that Observation 4.4 is incorrect but it does not affect the other results.