Nice name

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In mathematics, a nice name is a set-theoretical concept used in forcing to impose an upper bound on the number of subsets in the generic model. It is a technical concept used in the context of forcing to prove independence results in set theory such as Easton's theorem.

[edit] Formal definition

Let M \models ZFC be transitive, (\mathbb{P}, <) a forcing notion in M, and suppose G \subseteq \mathbb{P} is generic over M. Then for any \mathbb{P}-name in M, τ,

η is a nice name for a subset of τ if η is a \mathbb{P}-name satisfying the following properties:

(1) \textrm{dom}(\eta) \subseteq \textrm{dom}(\tau)

(2) For all \mathbb{P}-names \sigma \in M, \{p \in \mathbb{P}| \langle\sigma, p\rangle \in \eta\} forms an antichain.

(3) (Natural addition): If \langle\sigma, p\rangle \in \eta, then there exists q \geq p in \mathbb{P} such that \langle\sigma, q\rangle \in \tau.