What is the Definition of the Supremum in First Order Predicate Logic?

Click For Summary
The discussion focuses on formalizing the definition of the supremum in real numbers, specifically addressing the least upper bound of a non-empty set. Participants explore the implications of the supremum in relation to epsilon, noting that for any epsilon greater than zero, there exists a t in the set such that it is bounded by the supremum. The challenge of expressing this concept in first-order predicate logic is highlighted, as it requires dealing with both numbers and sets, which first-order logic cannot accommodate. The conversation shifts towards the necessity of using both first and second-order predicates to adequately express these mathematical concepts. Ultimately, the participants seek a symbolic representation of the supremum definition while acknowledging the limitations of first-order logic.
stauros
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
i was trying to formalize the definition of the supremum in the real Nos (supremum is the least upper bound that a non empty set of the real Nos bounded from above has ) but the least upper part got me stuck.

Can anybody help?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If epsilon>0 what can you say about the set T of all t such that
sup(S)>=t>sup(S)-epsilon
 
lurflurf said:
If epsilon>0 what can you say about the set T of all t such that
sup(S)>=t>sup(S)-epsilon

There is a t belonging to T such that : ##a-\epsilon<t\leq t##, where a= supremum.

But i did not ask for the formalization of that theorem ,which we can prove by using the definition of the supremum
 
What type of formalization do you want, epsilon-delta or some other? The most obvious (and silly) would be
let S be a set of real numbers
let U(S)={x in R|x>=s for all s in S} be the set of all upper bounds of S
sup(S)=min(U(s))

thus sup(S) is the unique real number such for any real number x either x>=sup(S) or there exist s in S such that s>=x

This is one of those occasions where we have n equivalent statements so we make one the definition and arbitrarily the other n-1 become trivial theorems.
 
The epsilon delta type
 
There you go

sup(S) is the unique real number such that
for all s in S sup(s)>=s
for all epsilon>0
there exist t in S such that
sup(S)>=t>sup(S)-epsilon
 
lurflurf said:
There you go

sup(S) is the unique real number such that
for all s in S sup(s)>=s
for all epsilon>0
there exist t in S such that
sup(S)>=t>sup(S)-epsilon

We want that only in symbols no words.

Again this is a theorem of the definition i asked in my original post,but anyway let's see how this can be trasfered into logical symbols
 
stauros said:
We want that only in symbols no words.

Again this is a theorem of the definition i asked in my original post,but anyway let's see how this can be trasfered into logical symbols
There is a possible problem here. If you want to express it in first order predicate logic, this is not possible, since we need to express two types of objects, numbers and sets of numbers, while first order predicate logic only deals with one type of objects.
 
Erland said:
There is a possible problem here. If you want to express it in first order predicate logic, this is not possible, since we need to express two types of objects, numbers and sets of numbers, while first order predicate logic only deals with one type of objects.

Yes,you are right we need 1st and 2nd order predicates.


But ifyou could express it in 1st order predicates ,i would be very interested to see.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
813
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
726
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
10K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
  • · Replies 49 ·
2
Replies
49
Views
17K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K