A note on the cardinality of infinite partially ordered sets (Q793761)

Let \((E,\leq)\) be any ordered set and \(\pi_ 0E\quad(\pi_ 1E):=\inf_ X kX,\) X being coinitial (cofinal) with \((E,\leq)\); \(kX:=the\) cardinality of X. For \(i=0,1\), let \(h\pi_ iE:=\sup_{S\subset E} \pi_ iS.\) Let \(p_ cE\quad(p_ dE):=\sup_ X kX,\) X being well-ordered (dually well- ordered) in \((E,\leq)\). If X is both coinitial and cofinal with \((E,\leq)\) the author says that X is a \(\pi\)-base for E (following Hausdorff one says that X is coextensive with E). Let \(\pi E:=\inf_ X kX,\) X being coextensive with E. The author introduces the number \(h\pi E:=\sup_ S \pi S\) where \(S\subset E\) and calls it the hereditary \(\pi\)-weight of \((E,\leq)\). 2.1. Theorem: For every infinite E one has \(kE\leq h\pi_ 1(E,\leq)^{p_ dE},\quad h\pi_ 0(E,\leq)^{p_ cE}.\) A lemma (2.1 Lemma) and 5 corollaries are deduced. The paper is closely tied with the reviewer's results and tree methods [cf. Zbl 0018.05504]: the corresponding paper contains the cardinal functions \(p_ c,p_ d,p_ o,p_ s\) with applications; [cf. also Zbl 0094.033]; for more information see the reviewer's comments in Zbl 0411.54007. In particular, one should stress that the reviewer's exponential majoration \(kE\leq wE^{dE}\) published in 1937 as ''La rélation fondamentale'' [loc. cit.] preceded the partition relation. The reviewer stresses that 2.4 Lemma is crucial; it coincides with the reviewer's Lemme A from 1939 in the paper ''Sur la puissance des ensembles partiellement ordonnés'' [C. R. Soc. Sci. Lett. Varsovie, Cl. III. 32, 62-67 (1939) and reproduced in Glasnik Mat. Fiz. Astron., II. Ser. 14, 205-211 (1959; Zbl 0094.033)].