All Questions
64 questions
9
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What does the axiom of replacement mean and why should I believe it?
Here Professor Blass describes the following cumulative hierarchy of sets:
Begin with some non-set entities called atoms ("some" could be "none" if you want a world consisting exclusively of sets), ...
CommunityBot
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2
votes
0
answers
134
views
A question regarding an analogue of the Kleene $T$-predicate for Koepke's ordinal computability
Does Koepke's notion of ordinal computability admit an analogue of the Kleene $T$-predicate? If so, is the existence of such a $T$-predicate independent of $ZFC$? Also, if one assumes the existence ...
- 47.3k
1
vote
1
answer
446
views
A question regarding extendible cardinals and a result of M. Magidor
The following definitions and Theorems come from M. Magidor's paper "On the Role of Supercompact and Extendible Cardinals in Logic" (Israel J. Math., Vol. 10, 1971):
"Definition: Logic is called $\...
- 20.9k
2
votes
1
answer
880
views
Is second-order ZFC categorical with regard to its proper class models
Second-order ZFC offers partial categoricity in the sense that, given any two models, one of them must be isomorphic to an initial segment of the other [1]. However, this leaves questions regarding ...
- 236k
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Martin's "Philosophical Issues about the Hierarchy of Sets"
Some months ago (October 2010), in the context of the Workshop on Set Theory and the Philosophy of Mathematics, Professor Donald A. Martin gave a talk entitled "Philosophical issues about the ...
- 3,793
4
votes
2
answers
749
views
What is the impact on Godels theorem of Paraconsistency?
Russells paradox forced a restriction of the natural abstraction principle (that every predicate determines a set) so that Set Theory could be consistent. The standard one being ZF.
However ...
- 47.3k
1
vote
2
answers
819
views
Ontological status of some "sets" in ZFC [closed]
Let $\phi$ be an undecidable statement of ZFC set theory, for example let's take continuum hypothesis.
What is the ontological status of the "set" $X=\bigl\{x\in\{1,2\}:x=1\text{ or }(x=2\text{ and }\...
CommunityBot
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9
votes
4
answers
1k
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Does there exist a non-trivial Ultrafinitist set theory?
Does there exist a set theory T-which has not yet been proved to be inconsistent-and in which
one can prove the existence of (1) the empty set (2) sets that are singletons and (3) sets which
have non-...
CommunityBot
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1
vote
0
answers
260
views
A question regarding Koepke' s Ordinal Computability in HOD
Consider the following theorem of Koepke-Koerwien-Siders:
"A set x of ordinals is ordinal computable [either by ordinal Turing machines or ordinal register machines--my comment] if and only if it is ...
- 44.4k
2
votes
1
answer
275
views
comprehension and ideal elements
A not uncommon thought in philosophy is that we should distinguish (in philosophy, anyway) between "sparse" ("real", "serious") and "abundant" ("ideal", "superficial") properties/classes and relations....
- 236k
15
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Intended interpretations of set theories
In his Set Theory. An Introduction to Indepencence Proofs, Kunen develops $ZFC$ from a platonistic point of view because he believes that this is pedagogically easier. When he talks about the intended ...
CommunityBot
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12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Proving Independence of Axioms by Exhibiting Models Which Don't Satisfy Our Intuition
I recently saw the proof of the independence of ZF (with allowance for multiple empty sets) and AC. The proof constructed the model based on a set theory generated by infinitely many empty sets and ...
CommunityBot
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14
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Are there natural examples of mathematical statements which follow from consistency statements?
Motivation
One of the methods for strictly extending a theory $T$ (which is axiomatizable and consistent, and includes enough arithmetic) is adding the sentence expressing the consistency of $T$ ( $...
CommunityBot
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26
votes
9
answers
8k
views
Why are proofs so valuable, although we do not know that our axiom system is consistent? [closed]
As a person who has been spending significant time to learn mathematics, I have to admit that I sometimes find the fact uncovered by Godel very upsetting: we never can know that our axiom system is ...
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