Set theoretic "Puzzle" I made up.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a set-theoretic puzzle proposed by a participant, focusing on how different set theories interpret a specific definition of a set U. The scope includes foundational aspects of mathematics, set theory, and the implications of Russell's Paradox and Gödel's incompleteness theorems.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant claims to have invented the puzzle and questions how various set theories handle the definition of U, which is defined in terms of membership and inclusion with respect to the empty set.
  • Another participant discusses their PhD research and expresses skepticism about the completeness and consistency of mathematics, suggesting that the puzzle is a way to attract attention to their work.
  • A participant clarifies that the condition "Not(A is_included_in Powerset(EmptySet))" implies that A is not the empty set, leading to the assertion that U equals A when A is a non-empty set.
  • There is a request for clarification on the language used in the definition of U, particularly regarding the terms "included" and "is a subset," indicating potential ambiguity in the discussion.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of clarity in writing and understanding foundational concepts in mathematics, suggesting that language barriers may contribute to misunderstandings.
  • A participant notes that the relationship between the empty set and U is significant and asks for elaboration on how ZFC handles this relationship.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing interpretations of the definitions and implications of the set U, with no consensus reached on the clarity or correctness of the arguments presented. Multiple competing views remain regarding the handling of the set in various set theories.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved issues regarding the clarity of definitions and the implications of the relationships between sets, particularly concerning the empty set and the power set. The discussion also reflects varying levels of understanding and communication among participants.

mvCristi
I made up it, I didn't find anything about it, so, maybe, I'm the inventor.

The question is: How do different set theories handle the following definition?

U := {x : (x belongs_to A) and ( Not(A is_included_in Powerset( EmptySet)) )}

If possible in the set theory, require (A is_set). But it doesn't really matter.

The set U is interesting for some reasons.
 
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I'm doing my PhD research in "Foundations of mathematics with the application in automated theorem proving". I denied the motif that Russel's Paradox is an obstacle. This is the reason why I consider "Godel incompliteness theorems" and "Tarski's undefinability of truth resoult" particular cases of a Math that is done wrong. I think Math is both complete and consistent, but done in the right way. I researched and I have my opinion. Yet, I'm not sure if it is decidable. Anyway...
I earned money from my PhD research, my everyday existence, but I have to pay them back if I do not succide. And everyone around me is skeptical I will succide. I came up with this "puzzle" just to attract attention. Second order logic + ZFC cannot handle it.

First, take a look at "Euler's identity": e^(i*pi)+1=0.
It contains only once important constants like e,i,pi,1,0; it contains only once addition (+), multiplication (*), exponantiation (^); it contains only once equality (=). Many mathematicians regard it as the most elegant and "beautiful" result of Mathematics.

Now, take a look at: (For_all(x) belongs_to A) and ( Not(A is_included_in Powerset( EmptySet)) ).
It contains: belongs_to, is_included_in, Powerset, EmptySet: these are fundamental constants in set theory. They appear only once.
Quantifiers: For_all: the standard quantifier appears only once.
Logical connectives:
and: with arrity 2
not: with arrity 1.
Free variables:
A appears twice: as the arrity of "and"
x appears once: as the arrity of "not".

Now let me make a citation attributed to Stephan Banach: "Good mathematicians see analogies. Great mathematicians see analogies between analogies."

I would enjoy a disscution obout the set U.

Thank you!

P.S. I didn't want a solution to the "puzzle", just a disscution about it.
P.P.S. Sorry for bothering you with my everyday life frustrations.
 
mvCristi said:
I made up it, I didn't find anything about it, so, maybe, I'm the inventor.

The question is: How do different set theories handle the following definition?

U := {x : (x belongs_to A) and ( Not(A is_included_in Powerset( EmptySet)) )}

If possible in the set theory, require (A is_set). But it doesn't really matter.

The set U is interesting for some reasons.

The power set of the empty set has one element the empty set itself. So Not(A is_included_in Powerset( EmptySet)) (equivalently: \(\lnot (A \in \mathcal{P}(\emptyset))\) )is equivalent to A is not the empty set.

So your statement is U=A where A is a non-empty set.CB
 
Thank you for your reply. You broke the ice.

I said not: not(A belongs_to Powerset( EmptySet))
I said: not( A is_included_in Powerset( EmptySet))

P.S. It's just a "puzzle". My real work begins with a much more simpler and Axiomatic Set Theory proposition.
P.P.S. Sorry that I do not know LateX. So, please, anybody, correctly edit the definition of "U" in my first post in LateX. My fault. :D

Later edit: I've just voted on this (my) poll with: No, your just idiot. Just to counteract the discrepances. :D
 
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mvCristi said:
Thank you for your reply. You broke the ice.

I said not: not(A belongs_to Powerset( EmptySet))
I said: not( A is_included_in Powerset( EmptySet))

P.S. It's just a "puzzle". My real work begins with a much more simpler and Axiomatic Set Theory proposition.
P.P.S. Sorry that I do not know LateX. So, please, anybody, correctly edit the definition of "U" in my first post in LateX. My fault. :D

Later edit: I've just voted on this (my) poll with: No, your just idiot. Just to counteract the discrepances. :D

Ambiguous language, by included you mean is a subset? a proper subset? ...

Since the Power set of the empty set contains one element The Empty Set, it has two subsets: The Empty Set and the set whose only element is The Empty Set, so \( A\) is \(\emptyset\) or \( \{ \emptyset \} \)

CB
 
I just meant that (A is_set). But it doesn't really matters.
Not this is the main "issue" with U (EmptySet is_included in U: is very easily handled in ZFC, and others; can you tell me how?)
In fact the relation with {EmptySet} is important. The other, with EmptySet, was just part of the "puzzle" to make it more weird.
Can you ellaborate on this?
 
mvCristi said:
I just meant that (A is_set). But it doesn't really matters.
Not this is the main "issue" with U (EmptySet is_included in U: is very easily handled in ZFC; can you tell me how?)

I would suggest that you do some more work on the clarity of your writing, I'm afrain that makes no sense to me.

CB
 
I feel asheamed to state, but: I would suggest that you do some more work on the clarity of your understanding of the Foundations of Maths. Please, forgive me, but I'm not a native English speaker. Maybe, this is the source of the discrepancy.

However, I respect you, I appreciate you engaged in this disscution and I have to state that for me, there are other fields of math I have to understand better, fields in which you seem expert.
 
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