Critical point (set theory)

In set theory, the critical point of an elementary embedding of a transitive class into another transitive class is the smallest ordinal
which is not mapped to itself.[1]

Suppose that j : N M is an elementary embedding where N and M are transitive classes and j is definable in N by a formula of set
theory with parameters from N. Then j must take ordinals to ordinals and j must be strictly increasing. Also j()=. If j()= for all
< and j()>, then is said to be the critical point of j.

If N is V, then (the critical point of j) is always a measurable cardinal, i.e. an uncountable cardinal number such that there exists a
<-complete, non-principal ultrafilter over . Specifically, one may take the filter to be Generally, there
will be many other <-complete, non-principal ultrafilters over . However, j might be different from the ultrapower(s) arising from
such filter(s).

If N and M are the same and j is the identity function on N, then j is called "trivial". If transitive class N is an inner model of ZFC and
j has no critical point, i.e. every ordinal maps to itself, then j is trivial.

References
1. Jech, Thomas (2002).Set Theory. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. ISBN 3-540-44085-2. p. 323

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