Single Idea 13043

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 4. Formal Relations / a. Types of relation]

Full Idea

A set is called a 'relation' if every element of it is an ordered pair.

Gist of Idea

A relation is a set consisting entirely of ordered pairs

Source

Michael Potter (Set Theory and Its Philosophy [2004], 04.7)

Book Reference

Potter,Michael: 'Set Theory and Its Philosophy' [OUP 2004], p.65


A Reaction

This is the modern extensional view of relations. For 'to the left of', you just list all the things that are to the left, with the things they are to the left of. But just listing the ordered pairs won't necessarily reveal how they are related.