The strong selection property and ordered sets of finite length (Q795069)

If P is a poset, \(X\subseteq P\), then \(X_*\) is the ideal (down set) of all lower bounds of X, \(X^*\) is the filter (up set) of all upper bounds of X. If \(B\neq \emptyset\) and \(B=(B_*)^*\cap(B^*)_*,\) then B is bound. \({\mathcal B}(P)\) consists of all bound subsets. If \(f_ P:{\mathcal B}(P)\to P\) can be chosen so that \(f_ P\) is order-preserving and \(f_ P(B)\in B\), then P has the selection property. If D is down and U is up, \(D^*\cap U_*\neq \emptyset,\) then \((D,U)\in {\mathcal B}(P)^{\wedge}\) with associated bound \(D^*\cap U_*. {\mathcal B}(P)\to {\mathcal B}(P)^{\wedge}\) by \(B\to(B_*,B^*).\) If \(\hat f_ p:{\mathcal B}(P)^{\wedge}\to P\) can be chosen so that \(f_ p\) is order-preserving and \(\hat f_ P(D,U)\in D^*\cap U_*,\) then P has the strong selection property. If \(A\subseteq B_*\) and \(A^*\cap B_*=\emptyset\), (A,B) is a gap. Q is a separator of (A,B) if there is an order-preserving f:\(P\to Q\) such that (fA,fB) is a gap in Q. If K is a class of posets, P has the K-gap property if there exists a separator in K for every gap of P. A class K of posets closed under direct products and retracts is an order variety. Any class K generates a variety \(K^ v\). An invariant is a property preserved under direct products and retracts. Properties mentioned above are invariants. The main theorems are two. T.1. Let P be a poset with the strong selection-property and let K contain at least one member with two comparable elements. Then \(P\in K^ v\) iff P has the K-gap property. A poset P has a representation \((P_ i|\) \(i\in I)\) if each \(P_ i\) is a retract of P and if P is a retract of \(\prod P_ i\). P is irreducible iff for every representation of P by \((P_ i|\) \(i\in I)\) P is a retract of some \(P_ i\). Then T.2. Every poset of finite length with the strong selection property has a representation by a family of irreducible ordered sets, each isomorphic to 1, 1\(\oplus 1\), \(S_ m\), \(S^ d_ n\), \(S_ m\oplus S^ d_ n\), \((m,n=2,3,...)\), where \(S_ m\) is the poset of all proper subsets of \(\{\) 1,...,\(m\}\). - The lemmas and propositions leading up to the proofs of the main theorems provide a wealth of examples of the notions presented in this interesting paper.