Model Theory for a Compact Cardinal

Saharon Shelah

Published 2013-03-21, updated 2015-11-17Version 3

We would like to develop model theory for T, a complete theory in L_{theta,theta}(tau) when theta is a compact cardinal. We already have bare bones stability theory and it seemed we can go no further. Dealing with ultrapowers (and ultraproducts) naturally we restrict ourselves to "D a theta-complete ultrafilter on I, probably (I,theta)-regular". The basic theorems of model theory work and can be generalized (like Los theorem), but can we generalize deeper parts of model theory? In particular, can we generalize stability enough to generalize [Sh:c, Ch. VI]? Let us concentrate on saturation in the local sense (types consisting of instances of one formula). We prove that at least we can characterize the T's (of cardinality < theta for simplicity) which are minimal for appropriate cardinal lambda > 2^kappa +|T| in each of the following two senses. One is generalizing Keisler order which measures how saturated are ultrapowers. Another asks: Is there an L_{theta,theta}-theory T_1 supseteq T of cardinality |T| + 2^theta such that for every model M_1 of T_1 of cardinality > lambda, the tau(T)-reduct M of M_1 is lambda^+-saturated. Moreover, the two versions of stable used in the characterization are different. Further we succeed to connect our investigation with the logic L^1_{< theta} introduced in [Sh:797] proving it satisfies several parallel of classical theorems on first order logic, strengthening the thesis that it is a natural logic. In particular, two models are L^1_{<theta}-equivalent iff for some omega-sequence of theta-complete ultrafilters, the iterated ultra-powers by it of those two models are isomorphic.