Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Parmenides', 'Introduction to Mathematical Logic' and 'A Matter of Principle'

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8 ideas

6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / e. Ordinal numbers
Ordinals are transitive sets of transitive sets; or transitive sets totally ordered by inclusion [Walicki]
     Full Idea: An ordinal can be defined as a transitive set of transitive sets, or else, as a transitive set totally ordered by set inclusion.
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 2.3)
Ordinals are the empty set, union with the singleton, and any arbitrary union of ordinals [Walicki]
     Full Idea: The collection of ordinals is defined inductively: Basis: the empty set is an ordinal; Ind: for an ordinal x, the union with its singleton is also an ordinal; and any arbitrary (possibly infinite) union of ordinals is an ordinal.
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 2.3)
     A reaction: [symbolism translated into English] Walicki says they are called 'ordinal numbers', but are in fact a set.
The union of finite ordinals is the first 'limit ordinal'; 2ω is the second... [Walicki]
     Full Idea: We can form infinite ordinals by taking unions of ordinals. We can thus form 'limit ordinals', which have no immediate predecessor. ω is the first (the union of all finite ordinals), ω + ω = sω is second, 3ω the third....
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 2.3)
Two infinite ordinals can represent a single infinite cardinal [Walicki]
     Full Idea: There may be several ordinals for the same cardinality. ...Two ordinals can represent different ways of well-ordering the same number (aleph-0) of elements.
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 2.3)
     A reaction: This only applies to infinite ordinals and cardinals. For the finite, the two coincide. In infinite arithmetic the rules are different.
Members of ordinals are ordinals, and also subsets of ordinals [Walicki]
     Full Idea: Every member of an ordinal is itself an ordinal, and every ordinal is a transitive set (its members are also its subsets; a member of a member of an ordinal is also a member of the ordinal).
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 2.3)
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 3. Axioms for Geometry
In non-Euclidean geometry, all Euclidean theorems are valid that avoid the fifth postulate [Walicki]
     Full Idea: Since non-Euclidean geometry preserves all Euclid's postulates except the fifth one, all the theorems derived without the use of the fifth postulate remain valid.
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 4.1)
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 4. Axioms for Number / f. Mathematical induction
Inductive proof depends on the choice of the ordering [Walicki]
     Full Idea: Inductive proof is not guaranteed to work in all cases and, particularly, it depends heavily on the choice of the ordering.
     From: Michal Walicki (Introduction to Mathematical Logic [2012], 2.1.1)
     A reaction: There has to be an well-founded ordering for inductive proofs to be possible.
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / a. For mathematical platonism
One is, so numbers exist, so endless numbers exist, and each one must partake of being [Plato]
     Full Idea: If one is, there must also necessarily be number - Necessarily - But if there is number, there would be many, and an unlimited multitude of beings. ..So if all partakes of being, each part of number would also partake of it.
     From: Plato (Parmenides [c.364 BCE], 144a)
     A reaction: This seems to commit to numbers having being, then to too many numbers, and hence to too much being - but without backing down and wondering whether numbers had being after all. Aristotle disagreed.