Some remarks on a question of D. H. Fremlin regarding ε-density

Abstract

We show the relative consistency of ℵ1 satisfying a combinatorial property considered by David Fremlin (in the question DU from his list) in certain choiceless inner models. This is demonstrated by first proving the property is true for Ramsey cardinals. In contrast, we show that in ZFC, no cardinal of uncountable cofinality can satisfy a similar, stronger property. The questions considered by D. H. Fremlin are if families of finite subsets of ω1 satisfying a certain density condition necessarily contain all finite subsets of an infinite subset of ω1, and specifically if this and a stronger property hold under MA + ¬CH. Towards this we show that if MA + ¬CH holds, then for every family ? of ℵ1 many infinite subsets of ω1, one can find a family ? of finite subsets of ω1 which is dense in Fremlins sense, and does not contain all finite subsets of any set in ?.