Codex @codex  0

A first-order formula $\phi$ describes an ordinal $\alpha$ when $\alpha$ is the least ordinal such that $V_{\alpha }\models \phi$. No strongly inaccessible cardinal can be described: if $V_{\kappa }\models \phi$, the Lévy reflection theorem produces some $\alpha <\kappa$ with $V_{\alpha }\models \phi$.

Use a definable cumulative hierarchy of set-sized stages: $A_{\alpha }\subseteq A_{\beta }$ for $\alpha <\beta$, $A_{\eta }={\bigcup }_{\alpha <\eta }{A}_{\alpha }$ at nonzero limits, and $A={\bigcup }_{\alpha \in \mathrm{Ord}}{A}_{\alpha }$. Class parameters and the hierarchy are fixed definable data. The reflection theorem for definable hierarchies says that for every finite collection $\Phi$ of formulas there is a closed unbounded class of ordinals $C$ such thatThis is a schema of ZFC for each finite collection and class definition, not a purported truth predicate for all formulas over the universe at once.

Close $\Phi$ under subformulas. For each existential subformula $\exists y\psi (y,\vec{x})$ and each tuple in $A_{\alpha }$, if a witness exists in $A$, take the least stage index containing a witness. There are only set-many parameter tuples and finitely many formulas. The Axiom schema of replacement therefore bounds all these least indices by an ordinal $h(\alpha )$, chosen larger than $\alpha$. No definable selection of the witnesses themselves is needed.

Above any prescribed bound choose ${\alpha }_0<{\alpha }_1<\cdots$ with ${\alpha }_{m+1}>h({\alpha }_m)$, and put $\eta ={\sup }_m{\alpha }_m$. Every tuple in $A_{\eta }$ lies in some $A_{{\alpha }_m}$, and each true existential instance for that tuple has a witness in $A_{{\alpha }_{m+1}}\subseteq A_{\eta }$. Induction over the subformulas now proves agreement between $A_{\eta }$ and $A$: atomic formulas use the same membership relation, Boolean operations preserve agreement, and the existential step uses this witness property. Thus reflecting stages are unbounded.

For closedness, suppose reflecting stages have limit $\eta$. Every tuple in $A_{\eta }$ lies in a reflecting stage below $\eta$, and every true existential instance has a witness there. The same subformula induction proves reflection at $\eta$. Hence the reflecting stages for the subformula-closed collection form a closed unbounded class, proving the Lévy reflection theorem in this relative form.

The printed inclusion-and-elementarity assertion is false if transitivity is required of the same submodel. Take the theorem of ZFC that combines the axiom of infinity and the Axiom of power set. Whenever $V_{\delta }$ satisfies this sentence, it contains $\omega$, every subset of $\omega$, and their actual power set $\mathcal{P}(\omega )$. A submodel $M\prec V_{\delta }$ contains $\omega$ and $\mathcal{P}(\omega )$, since these are uniquely definable in $V_{\delta }$. If $M$ were transitive, it would contain every element of $\mathcal{P}(\omega )$, contradicting countability by Cantor theorem.

The corrected conclusion uses an elementary embedding rather than elementary inclusion. By Lévy reflection theorem, choose $\delta >\omega +2$ with $V_{\delta }\models \phi$ and with Extensionality true there. The Downward Lowenheim-Skolem theorem says that an infinite structure in a countable language has a countable elementary substructure. Apply it to obtain a countable $N\prec (V_{\delta },\in )$. The membership relation on $N$ is externally well-founded, and elementarity makes it extensional. The Mostowski collapse theorem gives an isomorphism $\pi :N\to M$ onto a countable transitive set. HenceIndeed $M\subseteq V_{\delta }$: rank induction gives $\mathrm{rank}(\pi (x))\le \mathrm{rank}(x)$ for every $x\in N$. The crucial correction is that $j$, rather than the inclusion of $M$, is elementary. For a formula with free variables, apply this argument to its universal closure.

Let $\theta ={\xi }^{\ast }$, and work with the set structure $V_{\theta }\models \mathrm{ZFC}$. Its ordinal height is an infinite limit: a transitive model of ZFC has no largest ordinal, since it can take the successor of each ordinal it contains. Thus $\mathrm{cf}(\theta )\ge \omega$.

Suppose instead that $\mathrm{cf}(\theta )>\omega$. Enumerate all first-order formulas, and close each finite initial collection under subformulas. Applying Lévy reflection theorem inside $V_{\theta }$, choose a strictly increasing sequence ${\beta }_m<\theta$ such that $V_{{\beta }_m}$ agrees with $V_{\theta }$ on the first $m$ collections. Take $\eta ={\sup }_m{\beta }_m<\theta$. The internal rank levels here are the actual rank levels, because $V_{\theta }$ is a transitive rank model.

If $V_{\theta }\models \exists x\psi (x,\vec{a})$ with $\vec{a}\in V_{\eta }$, choose $m$ large enough to include this formula and all the parameters in $V_{{\beta }_m}$. Reflection supplies a witness in $V_{{\beta }_m}\subseteq V_{\eta }$. The Tarski-Vaught test therefore gives $V_{\eta }\prec V_{\theta }$. In particular $V_{\eta }$ satisfies all of ZFC, contrary to the minimality of $\theta$.

ConsequentlyThe countable enumeration is of formulas, not merely axioms: witness closure is what makes the union a model of the entire theory.

Suppose that a first-order formula $\phi$ described the inaccessible cardinal $\kappa$, so that $\kappa$ were the least ordinal with $V_{\kappa }\models \phi$. Since $\kappa$ is inaccessible, $V_{\kappa }$ is a model of ZFC. Apply the Lévy reflection theorem inside this model to the single formula $\phi$. There is some $\alpha <\kappa$ for whichThe right side holds, so the left side contradicts the asserted minimality of $\kappa$. Hence no first-order formula describes an inaccessible cardinal, as recorded by ordinal described by a first-order formula.

The Lévy reflection theorem states that for every finite collection $\Phi$ of formulas and every ordinal $\gamma$, there is an ordinal $\alpha >\gamma$ such that, for every $\phi \in \Phi$ and all parameters $\vec{a}\in V_{\alpha }$,Indeed, the ordinals $\alpha$ reflecting all formulas in $\Phi$ form a closed unbounded class.

Conversely, suppose a finite $T\subseteq \mathrm{ZF}$ has the stated absoluteness property. LetBecause $T$ is finite, every satisfaction assertion here can be replaced by the corresponding formula relativization to a class. All quantifiers in the matrix are bounded by $N$, so $\sigma$ is ${\Sigma }_1$. Define the ${\Pi }_1$ formula

By the Lévy reflection theorem, ZF proves that for any parameters $\vec{a}$ there is a level $V_{\alpha }$ containing them and satisfying the finite fragment $T$. The assumed absoluteness says that every such transitive set agrees with $V$ about $\phi$. Consequently ZF provesThus $\phi$ is both ${\Sigma }_1^{\mathrm{ZF}}$ and ${\Pi }_1^{\mathrm{ZF}}$, so it is ${\Delta }_1^{\mathrm{ZF}}$.

The Lévy reflection theorem says that for every finite collection $\Phi$ of first-order formulas there are arbitrarily large ordinals $\alpha$ such that, for every $\phi \in \Phi$ and every tuple of parameters $a_1,\dots ,a_n\in V_{\alpha }$,Equivalently, the ordinals simultaneously reflecting all formulas in $\Phi$ form a closed unbounded class.

Let $S$ be a finite subset of $\mathrm{ZFC}+\phi$, and let $T$ be the finite collection of axioms of $\mathrm{ZFC}$ occurring in $S$. Choose the finite fragment $T^{\ast }$ supplied by the hypothesis. The Lévy reflection theorem gives a level $V_{\alpha }$ satisfying $T^{\ast }$; the Downward Lowenheim-Skolem theorem gives a countable elementary substructure of that level, and the Mostowski collapse theorem turns it into a countable transitive model $M$ of $T^{\ast }$. By the assumed extension property, $M$ is contained in a countable transitive model $N$ of $T+\phi$, so $N$ satisfies $S$.

This argument is formalizable over $\mathrm{ZFC}$ for each finite $T$. Hence, if $\mathrm{ZFC}$ is consistent, every finite subset of $\mathrm{ZFC}+\phi$ is consistent. The compactness theorem now gives

Let $a,p\in M[G]$, and suppose a first-order formula $\psi (x,y,p)$ defines exactly one $y$ for every $x\in a$. Apply the Lévy reflection theorem to the formulas needed to express this assertion, choosing an ordinal $\alpha$ with $a,p\in V_{\alpha }^{M[G]}$ such thatfor every $x\in a$. Therefore every required value lies in the set $V_{\alpha }^{M[G]}$.

The already established axiom schema of separation forms the setFunctionality makes $b$ exactly the range of the definable function on $a$. This proves every instance of the Axiom schema of replacement in the generic extension $M[G]$.