Questions tagged [foundations]
Mathematical logic, Set theory, Peano arithmetic, Model theory, Proof theory, Recursion theory, Computability theory, Univalent foundations, Reverse mathematics, Frege foundation of arithmetic, Goedel's incompleteness and Mathematics, Structural set theory, Category theory, Type theory.
331 questions
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When the definition of a set starts to matter in category theory
In most introductory courses to category theory, the precise definition of a set is more-or-less ignored. The idea being that all basic results in the subject hold for any reasonable definition of a ...
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Has there been any serious attempt at a "circular" foundation of mathematics?
As far as I know, there is no published attempt at a "circular" foundations of mathematics though I'ave seen it noted by many category theorists and logicians without in-depth analysis, e.g ...
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Elementary theory of the category of groupoids?
One axiomatisation of set theory, the Elementary Theory of the Category of Sets, or ETCS for short, comes from category theory and states that sets and functions form a locally cartesian-closed, ...
user173426
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Is this a good way of conceptualising the current status of Foundation of Maths projects?
I have been reading 'A Very Short Introduction to Mathematics' by Timothy Gowers and at one point he mentions that most of the mathematical proofs can be finally resolved to a set of logical ...
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Building algebraic geometry without prime ideals
$\DeclareMathOperator\Spec{Spec}\DeclareMathOperator\ev{ev}$Teaching algebraic geometry, in particular schemes, I am struggling to provide intuitive proofs. In particular, I find it counter-intuitive ...
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What makes dependent type theory more suitable than set theory for proof assistants?
In his talk, The Future of Mathematics, Dr. Kevin Buzzard states that Lean is the only existing proof assistant suitable for formalizing all of math. In the Q&A part of the talk (at 1:00:00) he ...
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2
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Formal definition of homotopy type theory
The HoTT community is quite friendly, and produces many motivational introductions to HoTT. The blog and the HoTT book are quite helpful. However, I want to get my hands directly onto that, and am ...
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1
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What is difference between working with small and large category of spaces?
The following construction have always bugged me. This is p328, Remark 5.1.6.1 in Lurie's Higher Topos Theory. Lurie begins with the following:
Construction: Let $C$ be a simplicial set. $S$ denote ...
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4
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Self-contained formalization of random variables?
I have not been able to find any formalization of random variables that supports construction of new random variables dependent on previously constructed ones. In what I have found, a random variable $...
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Set Theoretic Geology II: The structure of the directed partial order of grounds
In my previous question Set-theoretic geology: controlled erosion?
and the great answer by Jonas Reitz, I have learned a few things, starting from the awareness that I understand the fine-grain ...
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Higher order arithmetic, hierarchies and proof theoretic ordinals
I asked this question on MSE some days ago but I have not received any answer so I have decided to post it here.
I would like to consider a generalization of the notation $\Pi$ and $\Sigma$ used for ...
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Class theory of ZF-minus-Powerset as classical predicative system?
I've been thinking about some mathematics in weaker foundational systems a little bit, largely from a structural viewpoint, and with particular attention to classes.
Some categories I've been keeping ...
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1
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Iterated Gentzen: or, a Sith objection to the proof of consistency of PA
$\DeclareMathOperator\PRA{PRA}\DeclareMathOperator\WF{WF}\DeclareMathOperator\Con{Con}\DeclareMathOperator\PA{PA}$Preamble: In the year … in a galaxy far far away, a nasty Sith named Darth Dubious (...
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Emergence of the discrete from the continuum
An almost eternal theme in Mathematics is the approximation of the Continuum by the Discrete. This core idea goes back at least to Archimedes, and remains active to these very days (and quite likely ...
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An internalized version of Tennenbaum's Theorem
Tennenbaum's celebrated 1959 theorem (see here for a reference) is certainly one of the key theorems in mathematical logic. Not so much for its proof, but because it helps "isolating" $N$ ...
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Complete and consistent first-order theories that contain interesting phenomena
Gödel has shown that a consistent recursively axiomatizable first-order theory that can interpret Robinson arithmetic is incomplete.
I think there is some sentimental value in working with a theory ...
user158636
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Appearance of proof relevance in "ordinary mathematics?"
I've been wondering recently what—if any—applications proof theory has to ordinary mathematics (by which I mean algebra, analysis, topology, and so on). In particular, I'd be fascinated to see a proof ...
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Reference request on Gentzen's proof of the consistency of PA
I've always been interested in having a good understanding of Gentzen's proof of the consistency of arithmetic.
Being more precise, he showed that $PRA + WF(\epsilon_0) \vdash Con(PA)$.
I am ...
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When size matters in category theory for the working mathematician
I think a related question might be this (Set-Theoretic Issues/Categories).
There are many ways in which you can avoid set theoretical paradoxes in dealing with category theory (see for instance ...
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A syntax independent theory of categories
The classic way to encounter the theory of categories is via Set Theory via the typical definition we see for categories. We see all kinds of categories that are equivalent to the category of small ...
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The inconsistency of Graham Arithmetics plus $ \forall n, n < g_{64}$
As you all know, Ronald Graham just passed away. He is famous for many fabulous contributions to finite combinatorics, and much much more, but perhaps none of them is as popular as the infamous ...
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Are categories special, foundationally?
Some folks over at nLab want to use categories as a foundation for all of mathematics, I'm guessing as an alternative to sets. Sets work fine, and so do categories, so I have started wondering what ...
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Historical origin of the empty set
The question is in the title:
Who first claimed the existence / necessity of the empty set ? When did this happen ?
Of course I know that the notation $\emptyset$ goes back to André Weil, and that ...
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What is a good definition of a mathematical structure?
At the moment I am writing a textbook in Foundations of Mathematics for students and trying to give a precise definition of a mathematical structure, which is the principal notion of structuralist ...
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Category theory and set theory: just a different language, or different foundation of mathematics?
This is a question to research mathematicians, as well as to those concerned with the history and philosophy of mathematics.
I am asking for a reference. In order to make the reference request as ...
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19
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1
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Positive set theory and the "co-Russell" set
This is a more focused version of a question which was asked at MSE a couple years ago, but is still unanswered there. That question asks about a broad range of theories, whereas this version focuses ...
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1
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coordinate free foundations of trigonometry [closed]
What axioms for geometry and trigonometry would I have to chose in order to completely avoid coordinates in defining trig functions and showing the equivalence of their geometric (unit circle) and ...
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Shortest axiom of infinity for foundationless set theory
Let $T$ be the theory with a binary symbol $\in$, an unary symbol $S$, and the following axioms:
Axiom of extension:
\begin{equation}
\forall x \forall y (\forall z (z \in x \leftrightarrow z \in ...
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3
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How strong is this set theory?
In the spirit of this related question, consider a set theory with the following axioms:
Axiom of extension:
$$ \forall x \forall y (\forall z (z \in x \leftrightarrow z \in y) \rightarrow x = y) $$
...
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2
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Could Kronecker accept a proof of Goodstein's theorem?
A famous result of Goodstein asserts that the Goodstein sequence of integers terminates.
For a precise statement and a short proof, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodstein%27s_theorem.
A well ...
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0
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Is there a foundational approach that takes "structure" as primitive?
As per the title, I'd be curious to know if there have been attempts at constructing a foundation of mathematics taking, somehow, purely the notion of "structure" as primitive, maybe via a system of ...
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Could groups be used instead of sets as a foundation of mathematics?
Sets are the only fundamental objects in the theory $\sf ZFC$. But we can use $\sf ZFC$ as a foundation for all of mathematics by encoding the various other objects we care about in terms of sets. The ...
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Categorial foundations via "categories of algebras"
There are categorical foundations for mathematics axiomatizing the category of sets (Lawvere's ETCS), cartesian closed categories (type theory), and the category of spaces (homotopy type theory). ...
user30211
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1
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Set of definable real numbers?
Is there a set theory at least as strong as $KP\omega$ which has as a theorem that there is a set $\mathbb{D}$ of precisely the definable real numbers?
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What does second order set theory give us that is new?
There is a natural analogy between the theories PA and ZFC. See the linked question by Gro-Tsen here.
Peano arithmetic (PA) is a first order approximation to the natural numbers. As is well known, ...
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Weak power set - what strength may it have? [closed]
In The Consistency of Classical Set Theory Relative to a Set Theory with Intuitionistic Logic in THE JOURNAL OF SYMBOLIC LOGIC Volume 38, Number 2, June 1973 page 316 Harvey Friedman's axiom 8* $Weak \...
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A countable set theory providing choice?
Instead of Zermelo set theory $Z$ take $Y$ = $Z$ minus the power set axiom plus
Enumerability: $\forall x(x\neq \emptyset \to\exists f[f:\mathbb{N}\overset{onto}{\frown}x ])$
$\imath$ is the ...
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1
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Is ETCS well-founded?
I can't find a statement about the axiom of regularity anywhere in treatments of ETCS. Perhaps this is due to the unfortunate clash of terminology with 'foundations'.
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Learning roadmap for Foundations of Mathematics (for the working mathematician)
(At the risk of being vapulated and downvoted, I'll ask this here.)
Suppose you work in a field that has nothing to do with the foundations of mathematics, but thanks to MO, you are becoming more and ...
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Smallest ordinal modelling $\aleph_1$?
Let $X_1$ be the class of all ordinals $\alpha$ such that there exists a transitive model $M$ of ZF(C) such that $M$ thinks that $\alpha$ is $\aleph_1$.
Every class of ordinals has a minimum element (...
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How much of concrete mathematics can be expressed in the language of category theory?
Question 1
How much of group/ring/lattice/... theory can be expressed in purely categorical terms (only using the notions object, morphism, identity morphism, and composition), that is, as properties ...
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Are any formal systems based upon the idea of "iterated characterization pushing" currently in existence? If not, is anyone working on them?
I had an idea in regards to the design of formal systems with foundational aspirations.
To convey the idea, let's talk a bit about the second-order Peano axioms. The way these axioms work, we have a ...
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1
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Can set-like objects obeying ZFC be constructed in Euclidean geometry?
Is it possible to base set theory on Euclidean geometry, by carefully defining various notions from set theory in terms of geometric objects, so that the ZFC axioms can be shown to hold for them? ...
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Is well-pointedness the reason that the internal/external distinction seems not to apply to $\mathbf{Set}$?
When reasoning about the category of sets, we usually don't have to worry about the internal/external distinction. For example, if $f : X \rightarrow Y$ is a morphism of sets, then $f$ is either ...
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Formalizing ontological optimism
Inform speaking ontological optimisms means that everything that possibly exists in the abstract reality actually exists. From this principle we (again informally) get the Axiom of infinity, the Power ...
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Problem Understanding Euclid Book 10 Proposition 1 [closed]
this is embarrassing, but I am having trouble reading through Proposition 1 of Book 10 of Euclid's elements. I'm struggling with Euclid's terminology and don't have a clear picture of what divisions ...
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Practical example in using (homotopy) type theory
I have just read Grayson's introduction on homotopy type theory as a possible foundation for mathematics. It is very enlightening about what all the fuss is about, but I am left with some doubts. ...
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Why not replace reflection by bounded reflection in Muller's approach?
Bounded Reflection: If $\phi$ is a formula in the language of set theory [i.e.; $\small \sf FOL(=,\in)$], in which all and only symbols $``x,x_1,..,x_n"$ occur free, and $\phi^V$ is the formula ...
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Good introductory book to type theory?
I don't know anything about type theory and I would like to learn it.
I'm interested to know how we can found mathematics on it.
So, I would be interested by any text about type theory whose angle ...
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2
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Cardinals in $ZFC+\neg CH$
Before asking my question I like to admit that i am not an expert in the foundation of mathematics and I am interested in this issue more from a philosophical perspective. So my question may be ...
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