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Full Idea
The extensional view of sets is preferable because it is simpler, clearer, and more convenient, because it individuates uniquely, and because it can simulate intensional notions when the need arises.
Clarification
And example of an 'intensional' notion might be a property
Gist of Idea
Extensional sets are clearer, simpler, unique and expressive
Source
Penelope Maddy (Believing the Axioms I [1988], §1.1)
Book Ref
-: 'Journal of Symbolic Logic' [-], p.484
A Reaction
[She cites Fraenkel, Bar-Hillet and Levy for this] The difficulty seems to be whether the extensional notion captures our ordinary intuitive notion of what constitutes a group of things, since that needs flexible size and some sort of unity.
| 14428 | Members define a unique class, whereas defining characteristics are numerous [Russell] |
| 16449 | In modal set theory, sets only exist in a possible world if that world contains all of its members [Stalnaker] |
| 13030 | Extensionality: ∀x ∀y (∀z (z ∈ x ↔ z ∈ y) → x = y) [Kunen] |
| 13013 | The Axiom of Extensionality seems to be analytic [Maddy] |
| 13014 | Extensional sets are clearer, simpler, unique and expressive [Maddy] |
| 10097 | Axiom of Extensionality: for all sets x and y, if x and y have the same elements then x = y [George/Velleman] |
| 10872 | Extensionality: Two sets are equal if and only if they have the same elements [Clegg] |
| 18836 | A set may well not consist of its members; the empty set, for example, is a problem [Rumfitt] |
| 18837 | A set can be determinate, because of its concept, and still have vague membership [Rumfitt] |