Discordant sets and ergodic Ramsey theory

Abstract

We explore the properties of non-piecewise syndetic sets with positive upper density, which we call "discordant", in countably infinite amenable (semi)groups. Sets of this kind are involved in many questions of Ramsey theory and manifest the difference in complexity between the classical van der Waerden's theorem and Szemer\'{e}di's theorem. We generalize and unify old constructions and obtain new results about these historically interesting sets. Along the way, we draw from various corners of mathematics, including classical Ramsey theory, ergodic theory, number theory, and topological and symbolic dynamics.