\lecture{21}{2024-01-18}{} \begin{goal} We want to show that certain statements are consistent with $\ZFC$ (or $\ZF$), for instance $\CH$. We start with a model $M$ of $\ZFC$. Usually we want $M$ to be transitive. We want to enlarge $M$ to get a bigger model, where our desired statement holds, i.e.~add more reals to violate $\CH$. However we need to do this in a somewhat controlled way, so we can't just do it the way one builds field extensions. In particular, when trying to violate $\CH$ we need to make sure that we don't collapse cardinals. \end{goal} \begin{remark} The idea behind forcing is clever. Unfortunately an easy ``how could I have come up with this myself''-approach does not seem to exist. \end{remark} \begin{remark} How can a countable transitive model $M$ even exist? $M$ believes some statements that are wrong from the outside perspective. For example there exists $\aleph_1^M \in M$ such that $M \models x = \aleph_1$. $\aleph_1^M$ is indeed an ordinal (since being an ordinal is a $\Sigma_0$-statement). However $\aleph_1^M$ is countable, since $M$ is countable and transitive. This is fine. (Note that ``$\aleph_1^M$ is uncountable'' is a $\Pi_1$-statement.) \end{remark} \begin{idea}[The method of \vocab{forcing}] Start with $M$, a countable transitive model of $\ZFC$ and let $\mathbb{P} \in M$ be a partial order, where $p \le q$ means that $p$ has ``more information'' than $q$. A filter $g \subseteq \mathbb{P}$ is $\mathbb{P}$-generic over $M$ iff $g \cap D \neq \emptyset$ for all dense $D \subseteq \mathbb{P}$, $D \in M$. Next steps: \begin{enumerate}[(1)] \item Define the \vocab{forcing extension} $M[g]$. \item Show that $M[g] \models \ZFC$. \item Determine other facts about (the theory of) $M[g]$. This depends on the partial order $\mathbb{P}$ we chose in the beginning (and maybe $M$). \end{enumerate} \end{idea} \begin{example}[Prototypical example] Let $\bP = 2^{< \omega}, p \le q \mathop{:\iff} p \supseteq q$ be Cohen forcing, often denoted $\bC$. Let $M$ be a countable transitive model of $\ZFC$. Since the definition of $\bC$ is simple enough, $\bC \in M$. Let $g$ be $\bC$-generic over $M$. \begin{claim} \label{ex:cohen:c1} For each $n \in \omega$, the set $D_n \coloneqq \{ p \in \bC : n \in \dom(p)\}$ is dense. \end{claim} \begin{subproof} This is trivial. \end{subproof} \begin{claim} \label{ex:cohen:c2} $D_n \in M$. \end{claim} \begin{subproof} The definition of $D_n$ is absolute. \end{subproof} \begin{claim} \label{ex:cohen:c3} If $p,q \in g \cap D_n$, then $p(n) = q(n)$. \end{claim} \begin{subproof} $g$ is a filter, so $p$ and $q$ are compatible. $p,q \in D_n$ makes sure that $p(n)$ and $q(n)$ are defined. \end{subproof} Let $x = \bigcup g$. By \yaref{ex:cohen:c3}, $x \in 2^{\le \omega}$. By \yaref{ex:cohen:c1} and \yaref{ex:cohen:c2}, we have $g \cap D_n \neq \emptyset$ for all $n < \omega$, hence $n \in \dom(x)$ for all $n < \omega$. So $x \in 2^{\omega}$. \begin{claim} Let $z \in 2^{\omega}$, $z \in M$. Then $D^z = \{p \in \bC : \exists n \in \dom(p) .~p(n) \neq z(n)\} $ is dense. \end{claim} \begin{subproof} Trivial. \end{subproof} \begin{claim} $D^z \in M$ for all $z \in 2^{< \omega}$ with $z \in M$. Therefore, $g \cap D^z \neq \emptyset$ for all $z \in M$, $z\colon 2^{<\omega}$. Hence $x \neq z$ for all $z \in M$, $z \in 2^{< \omega}$. In other words $x \not\in M$. \end{claim} The new real $x$ does not do too much damage to $M$ when adding it.\footnote{We still need to make this precise.} (Some reals would completely kill the model.) Now let $\alpha$ be an ordinal in $M$. Let \begin{IEEEeqnarray*}{rCll} \bC(\alpha) &\coloneqq& \{p \colon &\text{$p$ is a function with domain $\alpha$,}\\ &&&\text{$p(\xi) \in \bC$ for all $\xi < \alpha$,}\\ &&&\text{$\{\xi < \alpha : p(\xi) \neq \emptyset\}$ is finite}\} \end{IEEEeqnarray*} ($\alpha$ many copies of $\bC$ with \vocab{finite support}). For $p, q \in \bC(\alpha)$ define $p \le q :\iff \forall \xi < \alpha .~p(\xi) \supseteq q(\xi)$. We have $\bC(\alpha) \in M$ Let $g$ be $\bC(\alpha)$-generic over $M$. Let $x_\xi = \bigcup \{p(\xi) : p \in g\}$ for $\xi < \alpha$. $x_\xi \in 2^{ \omega}$: For each $n < \omega$ and $\xi < \alpha$, \[ D_{n,\xi} \coloneqq \{ p \in \bC(\alpha) : n \in \dom(p(\xi))\} \in M \] and $D_{n,\xi}$ is dense. \begin{claim} For all $\xi, \eta < \alpha$, $\xi \neq \eta$, \[ D^{\xi, \eta} \coloneqq \{ p \in \bC(\alpha) : \exists n \in \dom(p(\xi)) \cap \dom(p(\eta)) .~ p(\xi)(n) \neq p(\eta)(n)\} \] we have that $D^{\xi, \eta} \in M$ and is $D^{\xi, \eta}$ dense. \end{claim} Therefore if $\xi \neq \eta$, $x_\xi \neq x_\eta$. Currently this is not very exciting, since we only showed that for a countable transitive model $M$, there is a countable set of reals not contained in $M$. The interesting point will be, that we can actually add these reals to $M$. \end{example} Next we want to define $M[g]$.