Order extensions and the fixed point property (Q953274)

Let \(P\) be a finite ordered set. An element \(a\) of \(P\) is said to be rectractable (to \(b\)) if the map which sends \(a\) onto \(b\) and coincides with the identity map for \(x \neq a\) is order preserving, and irreducible if \(a\) has a unique upper cover or a unique lower cover. The purpose of the paper is to investigate how certain properties of ordered sets (in particular, dismantlability by rectractables and by irreducibles, the fixed-point property (fpp), and its negation) behave when the order of \(P\) is extended to an atom in the lattice Ext\((P)\) of all extensions of the order of \(P\). One of the main theorem states that if \(P\) is not totally ordered and is dismantlable by rectractables (by irreducibles) then it has a cover in Ext\((P)\) which is also dismantlable by rectractables (resp. by irreducibles). Three examples are given of a small ordered set with the fpp which has no cover with this property. There are also several results concerning the case when \(P\) itself has not the fpp but all its covers have.