All Questions
Tagged with set-theory foundations
157 questions
-2
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0
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There is a typo in Stall's textbook on Set Theory: unable to prove the trichotomy of sets (m ∈ n or m = n, or n ∈ m) [migrated]
Here is the textbook, chapter 7, page 300. This lemma seems very of important, and I've spend about 8 hours trying to figure it out, but I'm unable to prove even the weaker version of the lemma (only ...
- 105
1
vote
0
answers
80
views
How strong is separation + reflection without transitivity?
Consider a theory $T$ with a binary relation $\in$ and the following axiom schemas:
$\exists u \forall x (x \in u \leftrightarrow x \in a \land \phi)$ where $u$ is not free in $\phi$. This is the ...
- 2,203
14
votes
0
answers
389
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Can the axiom of choice be expressed in 4 quantifiers?
This 2007 paper presents a 5-quantifier $(\in, =)$-expression that is ZF-equivalent to the axiom of choice, but leaves open the 4-quantifier case:
Thus the gap is reduced to the undecided case of a 4 ...
- 2,203
12
votes
1
answer
227
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Is there a $\Pi_2$ sentence $A$ such that $\text{ZFC}^- + A$ proves powerset?
This is a follow-up to this question.
Let $\text{ZFC}^-$ be ZFC without powerset and with collection rather than replacement, as described here.
Is there a $\Pi_2$ (or perhaps $\Sigma_2$) sentence $A$ ...
- 7,545
37
votes
6
answers
6k
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Who needs Replacement anyway?
The set theory ETCS famously comes without the Replacement axiom schema (or an equivalent) that is part of ZFC. One (to me, not apparently useful) set that one cannot build in ETCS is $\coprod_{n\in \...
CommunityBot
- 1
16
votes
2
answers
1k
views
CH in non-set theoretic foundations
I asked this question on stack exchange and got little attention, barring a nice example I intend to look into. The original post can be found here: https://math.stackexchange.com/q/4941233/1053681
I ...
- 35.5k
13
votes
1
answer
933
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Consistency strength of HoTT
What is the consistency strength of Homotopy type theory (HoTT) relative to various set theories (e.g., are there any known set theories that it can interpret)? Does this question even make sense?
- 6,353
3
votes
1
answer
256
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Can these short set-building expressions of the finite set world extend to the infinite set world?
A formula of the form $\forall \vec{p}\, \exists x \, \forall y\, (y \in x \leftrightarrow \phi(y,\vec{p}))$
is to be named a "set-building" formula.
Now, when $\vec{p}$ includes a predicate ...
- 11.3k
14
votes
2
answers
1k
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Type vs. Set Theory: Expressive Ability
In the modern mathematical arena, the two primary contenders for the ‘correct’ foundation of mathematics are set and type theory.
Set theory, very roughly, captures the intuition that we frequently ...
- 12.5k
6
votes
1
answer
1k
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An axiomatic approach to the multiverse of sets
Work in a theory where the primitives are classes $X,Y,Z,\dots$, and class membership $X\in Y$, and add an individual constant $\mathcal{M}$ called 'the multiverse'. Classes $V$ which are members of ...
- 10.1k
29
votes
3
answers
3k
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Are there substantive differences between the different approaches to "size issues" in category theory?
In category theory, there are different ways to approach the "size issues" that crop up when we try to formalise the subject in axiomatic set theory. As far as I can tell, there are two main ...
- 109
2
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0
answers
220
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Which is richer Set or Graph Theory?
This theory about structures, defined as abstractions over isomorphic graphs, can interpret Set Theory in a rather creepy manner. Though the theory is largely technical, yet it is not far from being ...
- 11.3k
11
votes
3
answers
2k
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What governs our "perception?" about the platonic realm of sets?
Here, I want to delve into what do we exactly feel about what constitutes a platonic existence of a set? Or what makes us think or actually a kind of feel or sense the existence of a set in the ...
- 571
7
votes
9
answers
7k
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Ultrainfinitism, or a step beyond the transfinite
Cantor has, in the immortal words of D. Hilbert, given all of us a paradise (or perhaps, I would rather say, a great vacation spot), the TRANSFINITE.
$\aleph_0, \aleph_1,\aleph_2\dots$
the lists ...
- 2,031
3
votes
0
answers
165
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Suitability of formal type theory for mathematical thinking (vs. traditional set theory)
Type theory has advantages over set theory for the (computer) formalisation of mathematics, but has anybody who does mathematics with pen and paper found proof assistants or automated theorem provers, ...
5
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1
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597
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The "first-order theory of the second-order theory of $\mathrm{ZFC}$"
$\newcommand\ZFC{\mathrm{ZFC}}\DeclareMathOperator\Con{Con}$It is often interesting to look at the theory of all first-order statements that are true in some second-order theory, giving us things like ...
- 236k
3
votes
1
answer
510
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Harvey Friedman: The expanding mind
In reference 1, Friedman writes:
I discuss my efforts concerning 3 crucial issues in the foundations of mathematics that are deeply connected with the great work of Kurt Gödel.
[...]
B. Are there ...
- 2,031
-4
votes
1
answer
198
views
Is Bounding Reflection consistent?
Working in the first order language of set theory.
Let $\varphi^{*B}$ be the formula obtained from $\varphi$ by merely bounding all open quantifiers in $\varphi$ by the symbol "$B$".
Here a ...
- 2,031
-3
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1
answer
296
views
Can this form of reflection be consistent?
Is this form of reflection consistent?
First I'll begin by clarifying the notation I'm using here:
By a quantifier being relativized or bounded it means that the first occurrence of the quantified ...
- 2,031
5
votes
1
answer
344
views
What is the proof of consistency of anterior reflection?
Let Anterior Reflection be the following principle: $$\forall \vec{v}~ \exists X: \operatorname {transitive} (X) \land \, (\varphi \to \varphi^{X"}) $$
where $\varphi$ is a formula in $\sf FOL(=,\in)$ ...
- 11.3k
2
votes
1
answer
200
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Does inductive definitions must be supported by the set theoretical definition of natural numbers?
In page 4 of Gödel's book The Consistency Of The Axiom Of Choice and Of The Generalized Continuum Hypothesis With The Axioms Of Set Theory, Gödel defined the $n$-tuple as
$\langle x \rangle = x$;
$\...
- 4,265
3
votes
1
answer
96
views
Is this form of replacement suitable for ZF - Powerset + well-ordering principle?
The following scheme can be understood as a form of replacement. Axiomatizing $\sf ZF$ with it instead of the usual replacement schema renders it immune to removal of extensionality; see here.
In an ...
- 236k
12
votes
0
answers
210
views
Are there times when replacement is "more natural" than collection?
There are a couple examples I'm aware of where choosing to axiomatize $\mathsf{ZF(C)}$ using collection instead of replacement results in a much nicer (or at least less surprising) picture:
Let $\...
- 21.2k
6
votes
1
answer
937
views
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 (...
- 2,031
7
votes
2
answers
1k
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Explaining the consistency of PRA and ZF from predicative foundations
Recently I got interested in predicative foundations, mostly because of Laura Crosilla's work and because Agda employs a predicative type theory.
From the point of view of a predicative foundation to ...
- 3,312
4
votes
1
answer
368
views
Bounded alternatives to powerset that interpret ZFC
In set theory, many properties/relations of interest can be expressed as $\Delta_0$ formulas (formulas with only bounded quantifiers):
\begin{align}
\text{empty}(a) &\equiv \forall x \in a . \...
- 2,203
7
votes
3
answers
460
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How much Dependent Choice is provable in $Z_2$? And what about Projective Determinacy?
So, second order arithmetic, $Z_2$, is capable of proving quite a few things. One thing which would be of use is dependent choice for $\mathbb{R}$.
Basically, dependent choice on $\mathbb{R}$ says ...
- 17.7k
2
votes
3
answers
855
views
What is the largest large-cardinal hypothesis consistent with $ZFC + V=L$?
What is the largest large-cardinal hypothesis consistent with $ZFC + V=L$? The reason for the question is this: under the assumption that all of 'ordinary mathematics' (as reverse mathematics ...
- 6,132
8
votes
1
answer
1k
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Ill-founded models of set theory with well-founded ordinals
Let $(\mathcal{M},E)$ be an internally non-well-founded model of set theory i.e of $ZFC^{\neg f}=ZFC\setminus \mathrm{foundation}+\neg \mathrm{foundation}$, then $\mathcal{M}$ includes an infinite ...
- 17.7k
11
votes
1
answer
1k
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Existence of skeletons in ZFC
Influenced by this question from a fellow lagomorph, I would like to get to the bottom of existence of a skeleton of a category. I want to stay in ZFC, so I do not assume the global axiom of choice. ...
- 12.5k
43
votes
4
answers
5k
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Lists as a foundation of mathematics
I am wondering if there is a foundation of mathematics where not sets or "set-like objects" (such as objects of a suitable topos as in ETCS) are the primitive notion, but rather lists. These ...
- 4,359
6
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0
answers
190
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Is Vopěnka's principle inherited by Grothendieck topoi?
I call the Vopěnka's principle:
Every subfunctor of an accessible functor is accessible
but other formulations (which may lose equivalence in weak contexts?) are also interesting to me.
If this is ...
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22
votes
4
answers
4k
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How much of the axiom of choice do you need in mathematics?
Say we have DC-λ where λ is some inaccessible cardinal. Is that enough to develop all of ordinary mathematics? If not, is there a strengthening that is but that nevertheless does not assume full ...
- 10.1k
9
votes
1
answer
687
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"Surjective cardinals" - using surjections rather than injections to define isomorphism classes of sets
Cantor used the notion of an "injection" to formalize the size of two sets: A is "smaller" than B if A injects into B.
Simply put, the question is - how does this situation change if we use ...
- 35.5k
38
votes
4
answers
6k
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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 ...
- 22.3k
2
votes
0
answers
133
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Higher-order oracle computation of reals and axiom of constructibility
Certain real numbers can be approximated arbitrarily well by computable functions. If we introduce halting oracles, then more real numbers can be "computed", like Chaitin's constant or the ...
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26
votes
4
answers
1k
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Are there lightweight foundations for arbitrarily extendable objects?
My experience with foundations is rather scant, but I've run into some types of objects that seem to resist the sort of set-theoretic encoding schemes via Kurowski tuples that are rather common for ...
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39
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7
answers
6k
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Is V, the Universe of Sets, a fixed object?
When I first read Set Theory by Jech, I came under the impression that the Universe of Sets, $V$ was a fixed, well defined object like $\pi$ or the Klein four group. However as I have read on, I am ...
12
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0
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269
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Freiling's question
(I've asked this question at Math StackExchange here but haven't gotten any response, so I decided to take a shot here as well.)
In his paper "Axioms of Symmetry: Throwing Darts at the Real ...
- 231
2
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1
answer
69
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Infinite decreasing sequence for class relation without minimal elements
Let us assume $<$ is some class relation without minimal elements, meaning $\forall a, \exists b, b< a$. This means that for every $n\in\omega$, one can build a decreasing function $f$ with ...
- 39.7k
3
votes
2
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333
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On the definition of small categories in SGA4
We assume ZFC+U.
A category is an ordered pair $(\operatorname{Ob} \mathcal{C},\operatorname{Mor} \mathcal{C},\operatorname{dom},\operatorname{codom},e,∘)$ of sets (not classes) and maps satifying ...
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23
votes
2
answers
1k
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Statements in differential geometry independent from ZFC
It is well known that some problems in functional analysis and in general topology are independent from ZFC: to name a few, Kaplansky's conjecture, the existence of outer automorphisms of the Calkin ...
- 1,263
16
votes
3
answers
1k
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Consequences of foundation/regularity in ordinary mathematics (over ZF–AF)?
This is a followup question to Does foundation/regularity have any categorical/structural consequences, in ZF?
As shown in answers to that question, the axiom of foundation (AF, aka regularity) has ...
- 528
7
votes
2
answers
588
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Consistency strength of an attempt at higher order set theory
Work in a theory with (deep breath) a countable number of primitives denoted with capital letters from the end of the alphabet with numerical subscripts $\{X_n,Y_n,Z_n,\dots\}_{n<\omega}$ ...
- 11.3k
6
votes
1
answer
892
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Can the axiom of choice be proved with ZF+Tarski axiom?
Can choice be proved with ZF+Tarski axiom?
- 53.3k
74
votes
11
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12k
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Why hasn't mereology succeeded as an alternative to set theory?
I have recently run into this Wikipedia article on mereology. I was surprised I had never heard of it before and indeed it seems to be seldom mentioned in the mathematical literature. Unlike set ...
- 4,713
16
votes
2
answers
2k
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Why do we care about small sets?
I have been a user of category theory for a long time. I recently started studying a rigorous treatment of categories within ZFC+U. Then I become suspecting the effect of the smallness of sets.
We ...
- 63.1k
17
votes
10
answers
7k
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Set theory and alternative foundations
Every foundational system for mathematics I have ever read about has been a set theory, from ETCS to ZFC to NF. Are there any proposals for a foundational system which is not, in any sense, a set ...
- 4,713
6
votes
1
answer
205
views
How strong is separation + reflection of unbounded quantifiers?
Consider a set theory with the following axioms:
separation: $\exists y \forall x (x \in y \leftrightarrow \phi \land x \in a)$ where $y$ is not free in $\phi$
reflection: $\phi \to \exists u \phi^u$
...
- 5,831
19
votes
1
answer
937
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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 ...
- 12.5k