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Single Idea 13027

[filed under theme 6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 6. Mathematics as Set Theory / a. Mathematics is set theory ]

Full Idea

Zermelo was a reductionist, and believed that theorems purportedly about numbers (cardinal or ordinal) are really about sets, and since Von Neumann's definitions of ordinals and cardinals as sets, this has become common doctrine.

Gist of Idea

Zermelo believed, and Von Neumann seemed to confirm, that numbers are sets

Source

report of Ernst Zermelo (Investigations in the Foundations of Set Theory I [1908]) by Penelope Maddy - Believing the Axioms I §1.8

Book Ref

-: 'Journal of Symbolic Logic' [-], p.489

A Reaction

Frege has a more sophisticated take on this approach. It may just be an updating of the Greek idea that arithmetic is about treating many things as a unit. A set bestows an identity on a group, and that is all that is needed.

The 14 ideas from 'Investigations in the Foundations of Set Theory I'

13017 Zermelo introduced Pairing in 1930, and it seems fairly obvious [Zermelo, by Maddy]
13015 Zermelo used Foundation to block paradox, but then decided that only Separation was needed [Zermelo, by Maddy]
13486 Not every predicate has an extension, but Separation picks the members that satisfy a predicate [Zermelo, by Hart,WD]
13020 The Axiom of Separation requires set generation up to one step back from contradiction [Zermelo, by Maddy]
13487 In ZF, the Burali-Forti Paradox proves that there is no set of all ordinals [Zermelo, by Hart,WD]
18178 For Zermelo the successor of n is {n} (rather than n U {n}) [Zermelo, by Maddy]
13027 Zermelo believed, and Von Neumann seemed to confirm, that numbers are sets [Zermelo, by Maddy]
9627 Different versions of set theory result in different underlying structures for numbers [Zermelo, by Brown,JR]
15924 Predicative definitions are acceptable in mathematics if they distinguish objects, rather than creating them? [Zermelo, by Lavine]
10870 ZFC: Existence, Extension, Specification, Pairing, Unions, Powers, Infinity, Choice [Zermelo, by Clegg]
13012 Zermelo published his axioms in 1908, to secure a controversial proof [Zermelo, by Maddy]
17609 Set theory can be reduced to a few definitions and seven independent axioms [Zermelo]
17608 We take set theory as given, and retain everything valuable, while avoiding contradictions [Zermelo]
17607 Set theory investigates number, order and function, showing logical foundations for mathematics [Zermelo]