Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 October 2008
An ordinal is termed unsound if it has subsets An (nεω) such that un-countably many ordinals are realised as order types of sets of the form ∪ {An|nε a} where a ⊆ ω. It is shown that if ω1 is regular and then the least unsound ordinal is exactly but that if ω1 is regular and the least unsound ordinal, assuming one exists, is at least . Arguments due to Kechris and Woodin are presented showing that under the axiom of determinacy there is an unsound ordinal less than ω2. The relation between unsound ordinals and ideals on w is explored. The paper closes with a list of open problems.