Ideas from 'Ontology and the Vicious Circle Principle' by Charles Chihara [1973], by Theme Structure

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     unexpand this idea


4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 8. Critique of Set Theory
Could we replace sets by the open sentences that define them?
                        Full Idea: Chihara proposes to replace all sets by reference to the open sentences that define them.
                        From: report of Charles Chihara (Ontology and the Vicious Circle Principle [1973]) by David Bostock - Philosophy of Mathematics 9.B.4
                        A reaction: This depends on predicativism, because that stipulates the definitions will be available (cos if it ain't definable it ain't there). Chihara went on to define the open sentences in terms of the possibility of uttering them. Cf. propositional functions.