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Set Theory

Logic, Foundations and Set Theory

Set theory is the branch of mathematical logic that studies sets, informally described as collections of objects, along with their sizes, structures and the axioms that can found the rest of mathematics upon them. It emerged in the 1870s through the work of Georg Cantor and Richard Dedekind. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Central Question
What are the possible sizes of infinite collections, and what axioms can consistently and completely found the rest of mathematics on the notion of a set? 1
Key Debate
Whether the axiom of choice, which guarantees a selection function for any collection of nonempty sets without constructing one, should be accepted as a foundational axiom. Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory adopts it as standard (ZFC), but constructivist mathematicians reject the non-computable objects it entails, and Bertrand Russell's discovery that unrestricted set formation produces contradictions forced the field away from naive set theory entirely. 1
Classification
Pure or Applied
Pure Mathematics 1
Connections

Associated With

Founder of set theory, 1870s.

Source Set Theory (Wikipedia)

Includes

Source Abraham Fraenkel, Biography (MacTutor History of Mathematics)
Source Absolute Infinite (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Cardinal number
Source Wikipedia: Aronszajn tree
Source Axiom of Infinity (Wikipedia)
Source Beth Number (Wikipedia)
Bijection, Concepts
Source Bijection, Injection and Surjection (Wikipedia)
Source Borel determinacy theorem (Wikipedia)
Source Cantor Set (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Cardinal number
Cardinality, Concepts
Source Cardinality (Wikipedia)
Source Cardinality of the Continuum (Wikipedia)
Source Paul Cohen (Wikipedia)
Source Constructible Universe (Wikipedia)
Source Wolfram MathWorld: Continuum
Source Wolfram MathWorld: Countable Set
Source Wikipedia: Donald A. Martin
Source Wikipedia: Đuro Kurepa
Source Easton's theorem, Wikipedia
Empty Set, Concepts
Source Erdos-Rado theorem (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Ernst Specker
Source Fodor's lemma, Wikipedia
Source Graph of a Function (Wikipedia)
Source Hilbert's Paradox of the Grand Hotel (Wikipedia)
Source Inaccessible cardinal (Wikipedia)
Source Inhabited set (Wikipedia)
Source Injective Function (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Joseph R. Shoenfield
Source Wikipedia: Kazimierz Kuratowski
Source Kőnig's theorem (set theory) (Wikipedia)
Source MacTutor biography of Max Zorn, St Andrews
Source Measurable cardinal (Wikipedia)
Source Wolfram MathWorld: Mex
Multiset, Concepts
Ordered Pair, Concepts
Source Wikipedia: Ordinal number
Source Pairing Function (Wikipedia)
Source Paul Cohen (Wikipedia)
Source Wolfram MathWorld: Rank
Source Robert M. Solovay, Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia: Set (Mathematics)
Source Jack Silver, Wikipedia
Source Solovay model, Wikipedia
Source Wolfram MathWorld: Solution Set
Source Surjective Function (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Tree (set theory)
Source Thoralf Skolem (Wikipedia)

Showing 1 to 50 of 57 in Includes, page 1 of 2.

Sources
1. Set Theory (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Lead and origins sections
    the branch of mathematical logic that studies sets, which can be informally described as collections of objects
  • Origins and central questions
    Cantor is commonly considered the founder of set theory
  • Notable debates section
    Let R be the set of all sets that are not members of themselves
  • Associated With: Georg Cantor, Origins section
    Cantor is commonly considered the founder of set theory
View the Source
Cantor Set (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Cantor SetView the Source
Kőnig's theorem (set theory) (Wikipedia)
Includes: Konig's Theorem (Set Theory), Lead
Quote, Includes: Konig's Theorem (Set Theory), Lead
In set theory, Kőnig's theorem states that if the axiom of choice holds
View the Source
Wikipedia: Cardinal number
  • Includes: Aleph Number, Lead
    a cardinal number, or cardinal for short, is a kind of number that measures the cardinality of a set
  • Includes: Cardinal Number, Lead paragraph
    The properties of other aleph numbers and of infinite cardinal numbers in general depend on statements independent of Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory, such as the axiom of choice and the continuum hypothesis.
View the Source
Hilbert's Paradox of the Grand Hotel (Wikipedia)
Includes: Hilbert's Paradox of the Grand Hotel, Lead
Quote, Includes: Hilbert's Paradox of the Grand Hotel, Lead
is a thought experiment which illustrates a counterintuitive property of infinite sets
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Jack Silver, Wikipedia
Includes: Silver's Theorem, Article text
Quote, Includes: Silver's Theorem, Article text
Jack Howard Silver (23 April 1942-22 December 2016) was an American set theorist and logician at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Wikipedia: Tree (set theory)
Includes: Suslin Tree, Lead sentenceView the Source
Woodin cardinal (Wikipedia)
Includes: Woodin Cardinal, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Woodin Cardinal, Lead sentence
In set theory, a Woodin cardinal (named for W.
View the Source
Borel determinacy theorem (Wikipedia)
Includes: Borel Determinacy Theorem, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Borel Determinacy Theorem, Lead sentence
In descriptive set theory, the Borel determinacy theorem states that any Gale-Stewart game whose payoff set is a Borel set is dete
View the Source
Beth Number (Wikipedia)
Includes: Beth number, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Beth number, Lead sentence
In mathematics, particularly in set theory, the beth numbers form a certain (unset) sequence of infinite cardinal numbers (also kn
View the Source
Wikipedia: Ordinal number
Includes: Ordinal Number, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Ordinal Number, Lead sentence
In set theory, an ordinal number, or ordinal, is a generalization of ordinal numerals (first, second, nth, etc.) aimed to extend e
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Wikipedia: Von Neumann universe
Includes: Von Neumann Universe, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Von Neumann Universe, Lead sentence
In set theory and related branches of mathematics, the von Neumann universe, or von Neumann hierarchy of sets, denoted by V, is th
View the Source
Wikipedia: Aronszajn tree
Includes: Aronszajn Tree, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Aronszajn Tree, Lead sentence
In set theory, an Aronszajn tree is a tree of uncountable height with no uncountable branches and no uncountable levels.
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Inaccessible cardinal (Wikipedia)
Includes: Inaccessible Cardinal, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Inaccessible Cardinal, Lead sentence
In set theory, a cardinal number is a strongly inaccessible cardinal if it is uncountable, regular, and a strong limit cardinal.
View the Source
Measurable cardinal (Wikipedia)
Includes: Measurable Cardinal, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Measurable Cardinal, Lead sentence
In mathematics, specifically in set theory, a measurable cardinal is a certain kind of large cardinal number.
View the Source
Erdos-Rado theorem (Wikipedia)
Includes: Erdos-Rado Theorem, Lead sentenceView the Source
Fodor's lemma, Wikipedia
Includes: Fodor's Lemma, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Fodor's Lemma, Lead sentence
In mathematics, particularly in set theory, Fodor's lemma (or the pressing-down lemma) states: In modern parlance, the nonstationa
View the Source
Solovay model, Wikipedia
Includes: Solovay's Theorem, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Solovay's Theorem, Lead sentence
In the mathematical field of set theory, the Solovay model is a model constructed by Robert M.
View the Source
Easton's theorem, Wikipedia
Includes: Easton's Theorem, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Easton's Theorem, Lead sentence
In set theory, Easton's theorem is a result on the possible cardinal numbers of powersets.
View the Source
Cardinality of the Continuum (Wikipedia)
Includes: Cardinality of the Continuum, Lead sentenceView the Source
Axiom of Infinity (Wikipedia)
Includes: Axiom of Infinity, Lead sentence
Quote, Includes: Axiom of Infinity, Lead sentence
In axiomatic set theory and the branches of mathematics and philosophy that use it, the axiom of infinity is one of the axioms of
View the Source
Constructible Universe (Wikipedia)
Includes: Constructible Universe, Lead sentenceView the Source
Thoralf Skolem (Wikipedia)
Includes: Thoralf Skolem, Lead paragraph [in-branch]
Quote, Includes: Thoralf Skolem, Lead paragraph [in-branch]
set theory
View the Source
Wikipedia: Donald A. Martin
Includes: Donald A. Martin, Lead
Quote, Includes: Donald A. Martin, Lead
is an American set theorist
View the Source
Wikipedia: Wacław Sierpiński
Includes: Wacław Sierpiński, Lead
Quote, Includes: Wacław Sierpiński, Lead
known for contributions to set theory
View the Source
Wikipedia: Đuro Kurepa
Includes: Đuro Kurepa, Lead
Quote, Includes: Đuro Kurepa, Lead
his thesis was titled Ensembles ordonnés et ramifiés
View the Source
Robert M. Solovay, Wikipedia
Includes: Robert M. Solovay, Lead
Quote, Includes: Robert M. Solovay, Lead
Robert Martin Solovay (born December 15, 1938) is an American mathematician working in set theory.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Kazimierz Kuratowski
Includes: Kazimierz Kuratowski, Lead
Quote, Includes: Kazimierz Kuratowski, Lead
He is primarily known for his contributions to set theory, topology, measure theory and graph theory.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Joseph R. Shoenfield
Includes: Joseph R. Shoenfield, Lead
Quote, Includes: Joseph R. Shoenfield, Lead
Shoenfield worked on recursion theory, model theory and axiomatic set theory.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Ernst Specker
Includes: Ernst Specker, Lead
Quote, Includes: Ernst Specker, Lead
Much of his most influential work was on Willard Van Orman Quine's New Foundations, a set theory with a universal set, but he is most famous for the Kochen-Specker theorem in quantum mechanics, showing that certain types of hidden-variable theories are impossible.
View the Source
Paul Cohen (Wikipedia)
  • Includes: Paul Cohen (mathematician), Lead paragraph
    Paul Joseph Cohen (April 2, 1934, March 23, 2007) was an American mathematician, best known for his proofs that the continuum hypothesis and the axiom of choice are independent from Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory, for which he was awarded a Fields Medal.
  • Includes: Cohen's Independence Theorem, Lead paragraph
    Paul Joseph Cohen (April 2, 1934, March 23, 2007) was an American mathematician, best known for his proofs that the continuum hypothesis and the axiom of choice are independent from Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory, for which he was awarded a Fields Medal.
View the Source
Inhabited set (Wikipedia)
Includes: Inhabited Set, Lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Inhabited Set, Lead paragraph
However, this equivalence is not valid in constructive or intuitionistic logic, and so this separate terminology is mostly used in the set theory of constructive mathematics.
View the Source
Pairing Function (Wikipedia)
Includes: Pairing function, Lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Pairing function, Lead paragraph
Any pairing function can be used in set theory to prove that integers and rational numbers have the same cardinality as natural numbers.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Set (Mathematics)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Set (mathematics), Lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Set (mathematics), Lead paragraph
That is, set theory serves as foundation of mathematics.
View the Source
Graph of a Function (Wikipedia)
Includes: Graph of a Function, Lead paragraph
Quote, Includes: Graph of a Function, Lead paragraph
In the modern foundations of mathematics, and, typically, in set theory, a function is actually equal to its graph.
View the Source
Wolfram MathWorld: Wilkie's Theorem
Wolfram MathWorldIncludes: Wilkie's Theorem, Subject classifications
Quote, Includes: Wilkie's Theorem, Subject classifications
Foundations of Mathematics Set Theory
View the Source
Wolfram MathWorld: Rank
Wolfram MathWorldIncludes: Rank (Linear Algebra), Subject classifications
Quote, Includes: Rank (Linear Algebra), Subject classifications
Foundations of Mathematics Set Theory
View the Source
Wolfram MathWorld: Continuum
Wolfram MathWorldIncludes: Continuum (Set Theory), Subject classifications
Quote, Includes: Continuum (Set Theory), Subject classifications
Foundations of Mathematics Set Theory
View the Source
Wolfram MathWorld: Solution Set
Wolfram MathWorldIncludes: Solution Set, Subject classifications
Quote, Includes: Solution Set, Subject classifications
Foundations of Mathematics Set Theory
View the Source
Wolfram MathWorld: Mex
Wolfram MathWorldIncludes: Mex (Mathematics), Subject classifications
Quote, Includes: Mex (Mathematics), Subject classifications
Foundations of Mathematics Set Theory
View the Source
Wolfram MathWorld: Countable Set
Wolfram MathWorldIncludes: Countable Set, Subject classifications
Quote, Includes: Countable Set, Subject classifications
Foundations of Mathematics Set Theory
View the Source
Cardinality (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Cardinality, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Cardinality, Lead section
In mathematics, cardinality is an inherent property of sets, roughly meaning the number of individual objects
View the Source
Transfinite Recursion Theorem (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Transfinite Recursion Theorem, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Transfinite Recursion Theorem, Lead section
well-ordered set
View the Source
Absolute Infinite (Wikipedia)
Includes: Absolute Infinite, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Absolute Infinite, Lead section
The absolute infinite is an extension of the idea of infinity proposed by mathematician Georg Cantor. Cantor
View the Source
Injective Function (Wikipedia)
Includes: Injective Function, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Injective Function, Lead section
In mathematics, an injective function (also known as injection, or one-to-one function) is a function f that
View the Source
Surjective Function (Wikipedia)
Includes: Surjective Function, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Surjective Function, Lead section
In mathematics, a surjective function (also known as surjection, or onto function ) is a function f such that
View the Source
Uncountable Set (Wikipedia)
Includes: Uncountable Set, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Uncountable Set, Lead section
In mathematics, an uncountable set, informally, is an infinite set that contains
View the Source
Bijection, Injection and Surjection (Wikipedia)
Includes: Bijection, injection and surjection, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Bijection, injection and surjection, Lead section
In mathematics, injections, surjections, and bijections are classes of functions distinguished by the
View the Source
MacTutor biography of Max Zorn, St Andrews
Includes: Max Zorn, Biography
Quote, Includes: Max Zorn, Biography
equivalent to the Axiom of Choice
View the Source
Abraham Fraenkel, Biography (MacTutor History of Mathematics)
Includes: Abraham Fraenkel, Summary
Quote, Includes: Abraham Fraenkel, Summary
Abraham Fraenkel was a German-born mathematician who made contributions to axiomatic set theory. He is the F in the ZFC axioms for set theory.
View the Source
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