jsfisher
ETcorngods survivor
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2005
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My point is straightforward: Traditional mathematics does not consistently and rigorously establish a non-finite set.
Great! Now, how do you support this point of view?
My point is straightforward: Traditional mathematics does not consistently and rigorously establish a non-finite set.
Great! Now, how do you support this point of view?
Subtlety and nuance escape you. I did not define cardinality, at least not directly. Euclidean Geometry does not define point (directly), nor does ZF Set Theory define set (directly).
Instead, ZF Set Theory provides a set of axioms and axiom schema that characterize set properties; Euclidean Geometry characterizes points by way of its postulates; and I defined a relationship sufficient for comparing cardinalities of sets.
Guess what that does.
1) There is nothing in your definition of relative cardinality (|A| <= |B| if and only if there exists an injection from A to B) which establishes a non-finite set.
2) The ZF(C) axiom of infinity establishes the existence of (at least one) set, I that has those two properties:
...
This axiom by itself does not establish a non-finite set, no matter what name is given to it.
I do not have to guess, as long as your system does not define Cardinality directly, you can't consistently and rigorously establish a non-finite set.
|N| <= |X| can be written as (|N|<|X|) OR (|N|=|X|).A simple definition, perhaps, of what it means for a set to be non-finite? Maybe something like:
A set, X, is non-finite if and only if |N| <= |X|, where N is the von Neumann ordinal.Other definitions are possible, but this one will do.
Please define reality.And yet reality would disagree with you.
|N| <= |X| can be written as (|N|<|X|) OR (|N|=|X|).
In that case you constantly and rigorously need to show that N is a non-finite set.
Not done as long as you consistently and rigorously show that N is a non-finite set (after all we discuss about mathematics, isn't it?)Since |N| <= |N|, done!
Not done as long as you consistently and rigorously show that N is a non-finite set (after all we discuss about mathematics, isn't it?)
First few von Neumann ordinals
Code:0 = { } = ∅ 1 = { 0 } = {∅} 2 = { 0, 1 } = { ∅, {∅} } 3 = { 0, 1, 2 } = { ∅, {∅} , {∅, {∅}} } 4 = { 0, 1, 2, 3 } = { ∅, {∅} , {∅, {∅}}, {∅, {∅}, {∅, {∅}}} } ...
Perhaps a clearer intuition of ordinals can be formed by examining a first few of them: as mentioned above, they start with the natural numbers, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … After all natural numbers comes the first infinite ordinal, ω,...
You don't understand how definitions work, do you?
The term, non-finite set, has been defined. N is non-finite by that defnition.
In this case one first has to consistently and rigorously show that the non-finite set of all natural numbers, exists.
ZF Axiom of Infinity is a good example of how Traditional Mathematics arbitrarily forces N to actually be non-finite by simply ignoring the fact that the largest successor does not exist as one of N's members.So, a set X is a non-finite set if and only if |N| <= |X|, where N is the minimal set established by the Axiom of Infinity.
The Axiom of Infinity establishes the existence of a set with certain properties. The set contains the empty set and what I will call other base elements. The set contains the successors of all of its elements (which would be its base elements, and their successors, and their successors, and ...).
Please read very carefully http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13161559&postcount=73 including its link.Please define "non-finite set". Because you do not use the term "infinite set", your term must have a special meaning to you.
ZF Axiom of Infinity is a good example of how Traditional Mathematics arbitrarily forces N to actually be non-finite by simply ignoring the fact that the largest successor does not exist as one of N's members.
As a result |N| (N size) can't be defined since N is closed under this impossible existence.
Please read very carefully http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13161559&postcount=73 including its link.
Because you ignore the link there.Nothing was defined there.
You are arguing in circles.
how do you define what it means for a set to be non-finite.
Let N be the set of natural numbers.
Definition 1: Cardinality is the "size" of A (notated as |A|) iff it is related to the members of N, where 0 is a member of N.
Thank you.I doubt that is what you meant. "If and only if" is a boolean relationship with operands that are either true or false. When used as part of a definition, the if-and-only-if is taken as a constraint requiring the left-hand side (the thing being defined) bear the same truth value as the right-hand side.
You are claiming that the left-had side, "Cardinality is the 'size' of A", is a statement that can be either true or false.
On the other hand, the right-hand side, "[set A] is related to the members of N", appears to be a true/false valued proposition as would be required, but what does "related to" mean?
Your claimed Definition 1 isn't a definition, and it introduces another undefined term.
What is your definition for "non-finite set"?