A.H. Mekler – författare

This book provides a comprehensive exposition of the use of set-theoretic methods in abelian group theory, module theory, and homological algebra, including applications to Whitehead''s Problem, the structure of Ext and the existence of almost-free modules over non-perfect rings. This second edition is completely revised and udated to include major developments in the decade since the first edition. Among these are applications to cotorsion theories and covers, including a proof of the Flat Cover Conjecture, as well as the use of Shelah''s pcf theory to constuct almost free groups. As with the first edition, the book is largely self-contained, and designed to be accessible to both graduate students and researchers in both algebra and logic. They will find there an introduction to powerful techniques which they may find useful in their own work.

This is an extended treatment of the set-theoretic techniques which have transformed the study of abelian group and module theory over the last 15 years. Part of the book is new work which does not appear elsewhere in any form. In addition, a large body of material which has appeared previously (in scattered and sometimes inaccessible journal articles) has been extensively reworked and in many cases given new and improved proofs. The set theory required is carefully developed with algebraists in mind, and the independence results are derived from explicitly stated axioms. The book contains exercises and a guide to the literature and is suitable for use in graduate courses or seminars, as well as being of interest to researchers in algebra and logic.