Toward classifying unstable theories

The paper deals with two issues: the existence of universal models of a theory T and related properties when cardinal arithmetic does not give this existence offhand. In the first section we prove that simple theories (e.g., theories without the tree property, a class properly containing the stable theories) behaves ``better'' than theories with the strict order property, by criterion from [Sh:457]. In the second section we introduce properties SOP_n such that the strict order property implies SOP_{n+1}, which implies SOP_n, which in turn implies the tree property. Now SOP_4 already implies non-existence of universal models in cases where earlier the strict order property was needed, and SOP_3 implies maximality in the Keisler order, again improving an earlier result which had used the strict order property

General Properties of Multiscalar RG Flows in d=4−εd=4-\varepsilon

Fixed points of scalar field theories with quartic interactions in $d=4-\varepsilon$ dimensions are considered in full generality. For such theories it is known that there exists a scalar function $A$ of the couplings through which the leading-order beta-function can be expressed as a gradient. It is here proved that the fixed-point value of $A$ is bounded from below by a simple expression linear in the dimension of the vector order parameter, $N$. Saturation of the bound requires a marginal deformation, and is shown to arise when fixed points with the same global symmetry coincide in coupling space. Several general results about scalar CFTs are discussed, and a review of known fixed points is given.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figures; see section 3 for a prize problem. v2: small correction in appendix, typos fixed. v3: minor additions. v4: some next-to-leading order results added, typos fixe

Saturating the random graph with an independent family of small range

Motivated by Keisler's order, a far-reaching program of understanding basic model-theoretic structure through the lens of regular ultrapowers, we prove that for a class of regular filters $D$ on $I$, $|I| = \lambda > \aleph_0$, the fact that P(I)/\de has little freedom (as measured by the fact that any maximal antichain is of size $<\lambda$, or even countable) does not prevent extending $D$ to an ultrafilter $D_1$ on $I$ which saturates ultrapowers of the random graph. "Saturates" means that M^I/\de_1 is $\lambda^+$-saturated whenever M is a model of the theory of the random graph. This was known to be true for stable theories, and false for non-simple and non-low theories. This result and the techniques introduced in the proof have catalyzed the authors' subsequent work on Keisler's order for simple unstable theories. The introduction, which includes a part written for model theorists and a part written for set theorists, discusses our current program and related results.Comment: 14 page

Braids, mapping class groups, and categorical delooping

Dehn twists around simple closed curves in oriented surfaces satisfy the braid relations. This gives rise to a group theoretic from the braid group to the mapping class group. We prove here that this map is trivial in stable homology with any trivial coefficients. In particular this proves an old conjecture of J. Harer. The main tool is categorical delooping. In an appendix we discuss geometrically defined homomorphisms from the braid to the mapping class group.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, late