Degree Year
2010
Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Mathematics
Advisor(s)
Elizabeth Wilmer
Committee Member(s)
Michael Henle
Steve Abbott
Keywords
Large cardinal, Set theory, Measurable cardinal, Inaccessible cardinal
Abstract
Infinite sets are a fundamental object of modern mathematics. Surprisingly, the existence of infinite sets cannot be proven within mathematics. Their existence, or even the consistency of their possible existence, must be justified extra-mathematically or taken as an article of faith. We describe here several varieties of large infinite set that have a similar status in mathematics to that of infinite sets, i.e. their existence cannot be proven, but they seem both reasonable and useful. These large sets are known as large cardinals. We focus on two types of large cardinal: inaccessible cardinals and measurable cardinals. Assuming the existence of a measurable cardinal allows us to disprove a questionable statement known as the Axiom of Constructibility (V=L).
Repository Citation
Pechenik, Oliver, "Large Cardinals" (2010). Honors Papers. 388.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/honors/388
