Absoluteness via Resurrection

The resurrection axioms are forcing axioms introduced recently by Hamkins and Johnstone, developing on ideas of Chalons and Velickovi\'c. We introduce a stronger form of resurrection axioms (the \emph{iterated} resurrection axioms $\textrm{RA}_\alpha(\Gamma)$ for a class of forcings $\Gamma$ and a given ordinal $\alpha$), and show that $\textrm{RA}_\omega(\Gamma)$ implies generic absoluteness for the first-order theory of $H_{\gamma^+}$ with respect to forcings in $\Gamma$ preserving the axiom, where $\gamma=\gamma_\Gamma$ is a cardinal which depends on $\Gamma$ ($\gamma_\Gamma=\omega_1$ if $\Gamma$ is any among the classes of countably closed, proper, semiproper, stationary set preserving forcings). We also prove that the consistency strength of these axioms is below that of a Mahlo cardinal for most forcing classes, and below that of a stationary limit of supercompact cardinals for the class of stationary set preserving posets. Moreover we outline that simultaneous generic absoluteness for $H_{\gamma_0^+}$ with respect to $\Gamma_0$ and for $H_{\gamma_1^+}$ with respect to $\Gamma_1$ with $\gamma_0=\gamma_{\Gamma_0}\neq\gamma_{\Gamma_1}=\gamma_1$ is in principle possible, and we present several natural models of the Morse Kelley set theory where this phenomenon occurs (even for all $H_\gamma$ simultaneously). Finally, we compare the iterated resurrection axioms (and the generic absoluteness results we can draw from them) with a variety of other forcing axioms, and also with the generic absoluteness results by Woodin and the second author.Comment: 34 page

Category forcings, MM+++MM^{+++}, and generic absoluteness for the theory of strong forcing axioms

We introduce a category whose objects are stationary set preserving complete boolean algebras and whose arrows are complete homomorphisms with a stationary set preserving quotient. We show that the cut of this category at a rank initial segment of the universe of height a super compact which is a limit of super compact cardinals is a stationary set preserving partial order which forces $MM^{++}$ and collapses its size to become the second uncountable cardinal. Next we argue that any of the known methods to produce a model of $MM^{++}$ collapsing a superhuge cardinal to become the second uncountable cardinal produces a model in which the cutoff of the category of stationary set preserving forcings at any rank initial segment of the universe of large enough height is forcing equivalent to a presaturated tower of normal filters. We let $MM^{+++}$ denote this statement and we prove that the theory of $L(Ord^{\omega_1})$ with parameters in $P(\omega_1)$ is generically invariant for stationary set preserving forcings that preserve $MM^{+++}$. Finally we argue that the work of Larson and Asper\'o shows that this is a next to optimal generalization to the Chang model $L(Ord^{\omega_1})$ of Woodin's generic absoluteness results for the Chang model $L(Ord^{\omega})$. It remains open whether $MM^{+++}$ and $MM^{++}$ are equivalent axioms modulo large cardinals and whether $MM^{++}$ suffices to prove the same generic absoluteness results for the Chang model $L(Ord^{\omega_1})$.Comment: - to appear on the Journal of the American Mathemtical Societ

Non-Absoluteness of Model Existence at ℵω\aleph_\omega

In [FHK13], the authors considered the question whether model-existence of $L_{\omega_1,\omega}$-sentences is absolute for transitive models of ZFC, in the sense that if $V \subseteq W$ are transitive models of ZFC with the same ordinals, $\varphi\in V$ and $V\models "\varphi \text{ is an } L_{\omega_1,\omega}\text{-sentence}"$, then $V \models "\varphi \text{ has a model of size } \aleph_\alpha"$ if and only if $W \models "\varphi \text{ has a model of size } \aleph_\alpha"$. From [FHK13] we know that the answer is positive for $\alpha=0,1$ and under the negation of CH, the answer is negative for all $\alpha>1$. Under GCH, and assuming the consistency of a supercompact cardinal, the answer remains negative for each $\alpha>1$, except the case when $\alpha=\omega$ which is an open question in [FHK13]. We answer the open question by providing a negative answer under GCH even for $\alpha=\omega$. Our examples are incomplete sentences. In fact, the same sentences can be used to prove a negative answer under GCH for all $\alpha>1$ assuming the consistency of a Mahlo cardinal. Thus, the large cardinal assumption is relaxed from a supercompact in [FHK13] to a Mahlo cardinal. Finally, we consider the absoluteness question for the $\aleph_\alpha$-amalgamation property of $L_{\omega_1,\omega}$-sentences (under substructure). We prove that assuming GCH, $\aleph_\alpha$-amalgamation is non-absolute for $1<\alpha<\omega$. This answers a question from [SS]. The cases $\alpha=1$ and $\alpha$ infinite remain open. As a corollary we get that it is non-absolute that the amalgamation spectrum of an $L_{\omega_1,\omega}$-sentence is empty