Ramsey's theorem in the hierarchy of choice principles

Abstract

Ramsey's theorem [5] asserts that every infinite set X has the following partition property (RP): For every partition of the set [X]2 of two-element subsets of X into two pieces, there is an infinite subset Y of X such that [Y]2 is included in one of the pieces. Ramsey explicitly indicated that his proof of this theorem used the axiom of choice. Kleinberg [3] showed that every proof of Ramsey's theorem must use the axiom of choice, although rather weak forms of this axiom suffice. J. Dawson has raised the question of the position of Ramsey's theorem in the hierarchy of weak axioms of choice.In this paper, we prove or refute the provability of each of the possible implications between Ramsey's theorem and the weak axioms of choice mentioned in Appendix A.3 of Jech's book [2]. Our results, along with some known facts which we include for completeness, may be summarized as follows (the notation being as in [2]):A. The following principles do not (even jointly) imply Ramsey's theorem, nor does Ramsey's theorem imply any of them:the Boolean prime ideal theorem,the selection principle,the order extension principle,the ordering principle,choice from wellordered sets (ACW),choice from finite sets,choice from pairs (C2).B. Each of the following principles implies Ramsey's theorem, but none of them follows from Ramsey's theorem:the axiom of choice,wellordered choice (∀kACk),dependent choice of any infinite length k (DCk),countable choice (ACN0),nonexistence of infinite Dedekind-finite sets (WN0).