Critical points in an algebra of elementary embeddings

DOI10.1016/0168-0072(93)90012-3zbMATH Open0791.03028arXivmath/9205202OpenAlexW2570590894WikidataQ56454532 ScholiaQ56454532MaRDI QIDQ1314541FDOQ1314541

Authors: Randall Dougherty 

Publication date: 4 July 1994

Published in: Annals of Pure and Applied Logic (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Given two elementary embeddings from the collection of sets of rank less than $lambda$ to itself, one can combine them to obtain another such embedding in two ways: by composition, and by applying one to (initial segments of) the other. Hence, a single such nontrivial embedding $j$ generates an algebra of embeddings via these two operations, which satisfies certain laws (for example, application distributes over both composition and application). Laver has shown, among other things, that this algebra is free on one generator with respect to these laws. The set of critical points of members of this algebra is the subject of this paper. This set contains the critical point $kapp{a}_0$ of $j$, as well as all of the other ordinals $kapp{a}_n$ in the critical sequence of $j$ (defined by $kapp{a}_{n+1}=j(kapp{a}_n)$). But the set includes many other ordinals as well. The main result of this paper is that the number of critical points below $kapp{a}_n$ (which has been shown to be finite by Laver and Steel) grows so quickly with $n$ that it dominates any primitive recursive function. In fact, it grows faster than the Ackermann function, and even faster than a slow iterate of the Ackermann function. Further results show that, even just below $kapp{a}_4$, one can find so many critical points that the number is only expressible using fast-growing hierarchies of iterated functions (six levels of iteration beyond exponentials).

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/math/9205202

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zbMATH Keywords

critical pointsAckermann functionprimitive recursive functionalgebra of elementary embeddingsfast-growing hierarchies of iterated functions

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Large cardinals (03E55)

Cites Work

• On the algebra of elementary embeddings of a rank into itself
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Strong axioms of infinity and elementary embeddings
• The left distributive law and the freeness of an algebra of elementary embeddings
• On braid words and irreflexivity
• Finite left-distributive algebras and embedding algebras
• Homomorphisms of primitive left distributive groupoids
• Free distributive groupoids

Cited In (22)

• Construction of self-distributive operations and charged braids
• Rank-to-rank embeddings, Laver tables, and Galton-Watson processes
• About Laver tables
• Laver tables and combinatorics
• Finite left-distributive algebras and embedding algebras
• Left-distributive embedding algebras
• STRANGE QUESTIONS ABOUT BRAIDS
• On the semigroup structure of cyclic left distributive algebras
• Some aspects of the SD-world
• Persistence of cyclic left distributive algebras
• Braid Groups and Left Distributive Operations
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Implications between strong large cardinal axioms
• On the algebra of elementary embeddings of a rank into itself
• Low level computations in finite left distributive algebras
• Algebraic Properties of the Shift Mapping
• Critical points between varieties generated by subspace lattices of vector spaces
• Co-critical points of elementary embeddings
• Braid group actions on left distributive structures, and well orderings in the braid groups
• The braid shelf
• Laver and set theory
• Large ordinals

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