On the Cantor-Bendixson derivative, resolvable ranks, and perfect set theorems of A. H. Stone

A Borel derivative on the hyperspace 2 ^X of a compactumX is a Borel monotone mapD: 2 ^X →2 ^X . The derivative determines a Cantor-Bendixson type rank δ:2^X → ω₁ ∪ {∞} . We show that ifA⊂2 ^X is analytic andZ⊂A intersects stationary many layers δ₋₁({ξ}), then for almost all σ,F∩δ₋₁({ξ}) cannot be separated fromZ ∩∪ _a<ξ ^δ−1({a}) (and also fromZ ∩∪ _a>ξ ^δ−1({a}) by anyF _σ-set. Another main result involves a natural partial order on 2 ^X related to the derivative. The results are obtained in a general framework of “resolvable ranks” introduced in the paper. During our work on this paper the second author was a Visiting Professor at the Miami University, Ohio. This author would like to express his gratitude to the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for the hospitality.