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Comments on Existence of a set of all sets

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Existence of a set of all sets

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Suppose that we have an axiomatic set theory having the following axiom:

The Axiom Schema of Comprehension: Let $\mathbf{P}(x)$ be a property of $x$. For any set $A$, there is a set $B$ such that $x\in B$ if and only if $x\in A$ and $\mathbf{P}(x)$.

Can a set of all sets exist within such an axiomatic system?

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Let $V$ be a set of all sets. According to the Axiom Schema of Comprehension, we can have the following set:

$$U= \{ x\in V \mid x \not \in x \}.$$

Now, there are two cases:

  • $U \in U$, which, according to the definition of the set $U$, implies that $U \not \in U$, which is a contradiction;

  • $U \not \in U$, which, according to the definition of the set $U$, implies that $U \in U$, which is a contradiction.

Thus, a set of all sets cannot exist in such an axiomatic system.

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Peter Taylor‭ wrote over 3 years ago

Or the property $P(x) = x \not\in x$ cannot exist in such an axiomatic system, or such an axiomatic system can contain a set of all sets but at the cost of consistency, or possibly such an axiomatic system can contain a set of all sets as long as it doesn't have the law of the excluded middle.