Every analytic set is Ramsey

Abstract

If X is a set, [Χ]ω will denote the set of countably infinite subsets of X. ω is the set of natural numbers. If S is a subset of [ω]ω, we shall say that S is Ramsey if there is some infinite subset X of ω such that either [Χ]ω ⊆ S or [Χ]ω ∩ S = 0. Dana Scott (unpublished) has asked which sets, in terms of logical complexity, are Ramsey.The principal theorem of this paper is: Every Σ11 (i.e., analytic) subset of [ω]ω is Ramsey (for the Σ, Π notations, see Addison [1]). This improves a result of Galvin-Prikry [2] to the effect that every Borel set is Ramsey. Our theorem is essentially optimal because, if the axiom of constructibility is true, then Gödel's Σ21 Π21 well-ordering of the set of reals [3], having the convenient property that the set of ω-sequences of reals enumerating initial segments is also Σ21 ∩ Π21, rather directly gives a Σ21 ∩ Π21 set which is not Ramsey. On the other hand, from the assumption that there is a measurable cardinal we shall derive the conclusion that every Σ21 (i.e., PCA) is Ramsey. Also, we shall explore the connection between Martin's axiom and the Ramsey property.