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Full Idea
What is the union of the singleton {0}, of zero, and the singleton {φ}, of the null set? Is it the one-element set {0}, or the two-element set {0, φ}? Unless the question of identity between 0 and φ is resolved, we cannot say.
Gist of Idea
Unless we know whether 0 is identical with the null set, we create confusions
Source
Kit Fine (Replies on 'Limits of Abstraction' [2005], 2)
Book Ref
-: 'Philosophical Studies' [-], p.388
9838 | Treating 0 as a number avoids antinomies involving treating 'nobody' as a person [Frege, by Dummett] |
9564 | For Frege 'concept' and 'extension' are primitive, but 'zero' and 'successor' are defined [Frege, by Chihara] |
10551 | If objects exist because they fall under a concept, 0 is the object under which no objects fall [Frege, by Dummett] |
8653 | Nought is the number belonging to the concept 'not identical with itself' [Frege] |
9837 | 0 is not a number, as it answers 'how many?' negatively [Husserl, by Dummett] |
10574 | Unless we know whether 0 is identical with the null set, we create confusions [Fine,K] |
10853 | Either lack of zero made early mathematics geometrical, or the geometrical approach made zero meaningless [Clegg] |