Parody math paper - defining properties

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The discussion revolves around defining "properties" in a parody mathematics paper to establish a framework for similarity between objects. The author proposes using a function S that evaluates similarity based on the intersection of property sets, but notes that arbitrary properties could render this axiom ineffective. Suggestions include considering a topology where properties are represented as open sets, or creating two distinct sets: one for objects and another for properties. The conversation also touches on the relevance of this topic to philosophical and psychological discussions, hinting at a blend of humor and serious inquiry. Overall, the exploration seeks a coherent definition of properties to facilitate the understanding of similarity in a mathematical context.
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Parody math paper - defining "properties"

And no, I don't mean properties in the mathematical sense, but rather in the "everyday" sense.

In a parody mathematics paper I'm writing, I'm trying to define the "properties" of an object as a stepping stone to defining similarity. If we let P(o) be the set of all properties of o, similarity, in this case, is a function ##S## which takes two objects as an input and gives an element of (0,1] as an output, such that ##P\left(o\right)\cap P\left(o'\right)\subset P\left(o''\right)\cap P\left(o'\right)\implies S\left(o,o'\right)<S\left(o,o''\right)##, among other things. Clearly, if we just let properties be arbitrary elements of the power set of the set of objects (in which the objects having said property correspond to the elements of the set,) this axiom is basically moot, since for any o≠o'', the "if" bit of that statement is always false.

I'm thinking maybe just a topology over the set of objects, where properties are open sets in this topology? Does anyone have any ideas for a better or other definition?

(If this is a bad place for this post, can this be locked, deleted, or moved to the appropriate forum?)
 
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What about having two distinct sets? A set of all possible objects ##X##, and a set of all possible properties ##S##.

Then ##P## is a function from ##X## to ##2^S##.

Also, you might intend this to be comedy, but do you really think philosophers and psychologists have anything better to do than to take this serious?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_space
 
micromass said:

So, basically, a quasi-ordinal knowledge space is a slightly weaker structure than a topology (only closed under binary and therefore by induction finite union instead of arbitrary union?)
 
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