Abstract I continue the study of the blurry HOD hierarchy. The technically most involved result is that the theory ZFC + “ $\aleph _\omega $ is a strong limit cardinal and $\aleph _{\omega +1}$ is the least leap” is equiconsistent with the theory ZFC + “there is a measurable cardinal.”

Abstract We prove various iteration theorems for forcing classes related to subproper and subcomplete forcing, introduced by Jensen. In the first part, we use revised countable support iterations, and show that 1) the class of subproper, ${}^\omega \omega $ -bounding forcing notions, 2) the class of subproper, T-preserving forcing notions (where T is a fixed Souslin tree) and 3) the class of subproper, $[T]$ -preserving forcing notions (where T is an $\omega _1$ -tree) are iterable with revised countable support. In the second part, we adopt Miyamoto’s theory of nice iterations, rather than revised countable support. We show that this approach allows us to drop a technical condition in the definitions of subcompleteness and subproperness, still resulting in forcing classes that are iterable in this way, preserve $\omega _1$ , and, in the case of subcompleteness, don’t add reals. Further, we show that the analogs of the iteration theorems proved in the first part for RCS iterations hold for nice iterations as well.

Abstract A diagonal version of the strong reflection principle is introduced, along with fragments of this principle associated with arbitrary forcing classes. The relationships between the resulting principles and related principles, such as the corresponding forcing axioms and the corresponding fragments of the strong reflection principle, are analyzed, and consequences are presented. Some of these consequences are “exact” versions of diagonal stationary reflection principles of sets of ordinals. We also separate some of these diagonal strong reflection principles from related axioms.

Abstract I investigate the relationships between three hierarchies of reflection principles for a forcing class $\Gamma $ : the hierarchy of bounded forcing axioms, of $\Sigma ^1_1$ -absoluteness, and of Aronszajn tree preservation principles. The latter principle at level $\kappa $ says that whenever T is a tree of height $\omega _1$ and width $\kappa $ that does not have a branch of order type $\omega _1$ , and whenever ${\mathord {\mathbb P}}$ is a forcing notion in $\Gamma $ , then it is not the case that ${\mathord {\mathbb P}}$ forces that T has such a branch. $\Sigma ^1_1$ -absoluteness serves as an intermediary between these principles and the bounded forcing axioms. A special case of the main result is that for forcing classes that don’t add reals, the three principles at level $2^\omega $ are equivalent. Special attention is paid to certain subclasses of subcomplete forcing, since these are natural forcing classes that don’t add reals.

Abstract We introduce three families of diagonal reflection principles for matrices of stationary sets of ordinals. We analyze both their relationships among themselves and their relationships with other known principles of simultaneous stationary reflection, the strong reflection principle, and the existence of square sequences.

Abstract I analyze the hierarchies of the bounded and the weak bounded forcing axioms, with a focus on their versions for the class of subcomplete forcings, in terms of implications and consistency strengths. For the weak hierarchy, I provide level-by-level equiconsistencies with an appropriate hierarchy of partially remarkable cardinals. I also show that the subcomplete forcing axiom implies Larson’s ordinal reflection principle atω2, and that its effect on the failure of weak squares is very similar to that of Martin’s Maximum.

Abstract I analyze the hierarchies of the bounded resurrection axioms and their “virtual” versions, the virtual bounded resurrection axioms, for several classes of forcings (the emphasis being on the subcomplete forcings). I analyze these axioms in terms of implications and consistency strengths. For the virtual hierarchies, I provide level-by-level equiconsistencies with an appropriate hierarchy of virtual partially super-extendible cardinals. I show that the boldface resurrection axioms for subcomplete or countably closed forcing imply the failure of Todorčević’s square at the appropriate level. I also establish connections between these hierarchies and the hierarchies of bounded and weak bounded forcing axioms.

Abstract We investigate properties of trees of height ω1 and their preservation under subcomplete forcing. We show that subcomplete forcing cannot add a new branch to an ω1-tree. We introduce fragments of subcompleteness which are preserved by subcomplete forcing, and use these in order to show that certain strong forms of rigidity of Suslin trees are preserved by subcomplete forcing. Finally, we explore under what circumstances subcomplete forcing preserves Aronszajn trees of height and width ω1. We show that this is the case if CH fails, and if CH holds, then this is the case iff the bounded subcomplete forcing axiom holds. Finally, we explore the relationships between bounded forcing axioms, preservation of Aronszajn trees of height and width ω1 and generic absoluteness of ${\rm{\Sigma }}_1^1$ -statements over first order structures of size ω1, also for other canonical classes of forcing.

Abstract It is shown that $K|{\omega _1}$ need not be solid in the sense previously introduced by the authors: it is consistent that there is no inner model with a Woodin cardinal yet there is an inner model W and a Cohen real x over W such that $K|{\omega _1}\,\, \in \,\,W[x] \setminus W$ . However, if ${0^{\rm{\P}}}$ does not exist and $\kappa \ge {\omega _2}$ is a cardinal, then $K|\kappa$ is solid. We draw the conclusion that solidity is not forcing absolute in general, and that under the assumption of $\neg {0^{\rm{\P}}}$ , the core model is contained in the solid core, previously introduced by the authors. It is also shown, assuming ${0^{\rm{\P}}}$ does not exist, that if there is a forcing that preserves ${\omega _1}$ , forces that every real has a sharp, and increases $\delta _2^1$ , then ${\omega _1}$ is measurable in K.

Abstract One of the basic concepts of set theoretic geology is the mantle of a model of set theory V: it is the intersection of all grounds of V, that is, of all inner models M of V such that V is a set-forcing extension of M. The main theme of the present paper is to identify situations in which the mantle turns out to be a fine structural extender model. The first main result is that this is the case when the universe is constructible from a set and there is an inner model with a Woodin cardinal. The second situation like that arises if L[E] is an extender model that is iterable in V but not internally iterable, as guided by P-constructions, L[E] has no strong cardinal, and the extender sequence E is ordinal definable in L[E] and its forcing extensions by collapsing a cutpoint to ω (in an appropriate sense). The third main result concerns the Solid Core of a model of set theory. This is the union of all sets that are constructible from a set of ordinals that cannot be added by set-forcing to an inner model. The main result here is that if there is an inner model with a Woodin cardinal, then the solid core is a fine-structural extender model.

Abstract The main result of this paper is a combinatorial characterization of Magidor-generic sequences. Using this characterization, I show that the critical sequences of certain iterations are Magidor-generic over the target model. I then employ these results in order to analyze which other Magidor sequences exist in a Magidor extension. One result in this direction is that if we temporarily identify Magidor sequences with their ranges, then Magidor sequences are maximal, in the sense that they contain any other Magidor sequence that is present in their forcing extension, even if the other sequence is generic for a different Magidor forcing. A stronger result holds if both sequences come from the same forcing: I show that a Magidor sequence is almost unique in its forcing extension, in the sense that any other sequence generic for the same forcing which is present in the same forcing extension coincides with the original sequence at all but finitely many coordinates, and at all limit coordinates. Further, I ask the question: If d ε V[c], where c and d are Magidor-generic over V, then which Magidor forcing can d be generic for? It turns out that it must essentially be a collapsed version of the Magidor forcing for which c was generic. I treat several related questions as well. Finally, I introduce a special case of Magidor forcing which I call minimal Magidor forcing. This approach simplifies the forcing, and I prove that it doesn’t restrict the class of possible Magidor sequences. That is, if c is generic for a Magidor forcing over V, then it is generic for a minimal Magidor forcing over V.

Abstract The motivation for this paper is the following: In [4] I showed that it is inconsistent with ZFC that the Maximality Principle for directed closed forcings holds at unboundedly many regular cardinals κ (even only allowing κ itself as a parameter in the Maximality Principle for <κ-closed forcings each time). So the question is whether it is consistent to have this principle at unboundedly many regular cardinals or at every regular cardinal below some large cardinal κ (instead of ∞), and if so, how strong it is. It turns out that it is consistent in many cases, but the consistency strength is quite high.

Abstract We investigate various strong notions of rigidity for Souslin trees, separating them under ⟡ into a hierarchy. Applying our methods to the automorphism tower problem in group theory, we show under ⟡ that there is a group whose automorphism tower is highly malleable by forcing.

Abstract I investigate versions of the Maximality Principles for the classes of forcings which are <κ-closed, <κ-directed-closed, or of the form Col(κ, <λ). These principles come in many variants, depending on the parameters which are allowed, I shall write MPΓ (A) for the maximality principle for forcings in Γ, with parameters from A. The main results of this paper are: • The principles have many consequences, such as <κ-closed-generic (Hκ) absoluteness, and imply, e.g., that ◊κ holds. I give an application to the automorphism tower problem, showing that there are Souslin trees which are able to realize any equivalence relation, and hence that there are groups whose automorphism tower is highly sensitive to forcing. • The principles can be separated into a hierarchy which is strict, for many κ. • Some of the principles can be combined, in the sense that they can hold at many different κ simultaneously. The possibilities of combining the principles are limited, though: While it is consistent that MP<κ-closed(Hκ +) holds at all regular κ below any fixed α, the “global” maximality principle, stating that MP<κ-closed (Hκ ∪ {κ} ) holds at every regular κ, is inconsistent. In contrast to this, it is equiconsistent with ZFC that the maximality principle for directed-closed forcings without any parameters holds at every regular cardinal. It is also consistent that every local statement with parameters from Hκ⊦ that's provably <κ-closed-forceably necessary is true, for all regular κ.

Abstract We prove that there are groups in the constructible universe whose automorphism towers are highly malleable by forcing. This is a consequence of the fact that, under a suitable diamond hypothesis, there are sufficiently many highly rigid non-isomorphic Souslin trees whose isomorphism relation can be precisely controlled by forcing.