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Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory

by

Jeanette G. Tolan

Discrete Mathematics
MAT2051
Dr. Dave Hutchinson
October 24, 2010

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CONTENTS
Executive Summaryc




















































































































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Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory ................................................................................................................... 2
Zermelo introduced the first axiomatic set theory. .................................................................................. 2
Axioms of ZF ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Reference ................................................................................................................................................ 5

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Executive Summary

͞The German mathematician Georg Cantor (1845-1918) began a revolution in mathematics

when invented the theory of sets in the 1870s. The parts of his theory dealing with infinite sets were the

most controversial at that time. In an 1874 article, Cantor suggested that there were different kinds of

infinite sets and different orders of infinity. This idea stirred up tremendous controversy among some

editors of the journal and among mathematicians in general. Prior to this publication, all infinite sets had

been considered alike. No one had ever suggested that there were different orders of infinity͟.

http://www.bookrags.com/research/zermelo-fraenkel-set-theory-wom/

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‰elow is a detailed explanation of axioms from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2002), ͞Zermelo
introduced the first axiomatic set theory, containing eight axioms that put restrictions on the formation
of sets. Zermelo took the terms "set" and "Î", as undefined, the latter of these being the symbol for "is
an element of". His first two axioms established the meaning of the equality of two sets and the
existence of the empty or "null" set which has no members͟.The following list shows the Axioms of
Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory, quoted from (Jech, 2002).
Ä  
ü4ü *üs(sÎ4XsÎ ) ї 4= ]
This axiom asserts that when sets 4 and have the same members, they are the same set.The next axiom
asserts the existence of the empty set:
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´4Ë´ ( Î4)
Since it is provable from this axiom and the previous axiom that there is a unique such set, we may
introduce the notation ͚ù͛ to denote it.The next axiom asserts that if given any set 4 and , there exists a
pair set of 4 and , i.e., a set which has only 4 and as members:
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ü4ü ´sü ( ÎsX =4' = )
Since it is provable that there is a unique pair set for each given 4 and , we introduce the notation ͚{4, }͛
to denote it.The next axiom asserts that for any given set 4, there is a set which has as members all of
the members of all of the members of 4:
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ü4´ üs*sÎ X´ ( Î4ƒsÎ )]
Since it is provable that there is a unique ͚union͛ of any set 4, we introduce the notation ͚4͛ to denote
it.The next axiom asserts that for any set 4, there is a set which contains as members all those sets
whose members are also elements of 4, i.e., contains all of the subsets of 4:
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ü4´ üs*sÎ Xü ( Îs ї Î4)]
Since every set provably has a unique ͚power set͛, we introduce the notation ͚](4)͛ to denote it. Note
also that we may define the notion 4





(͚4V ͛) as: üs(sÎ4 ї sÎ ). Then we may simplify the
statement of the Power Set Axiom as follows:

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ü4´ üs*sÎ XsV4)

The next axiom asserts the existence of an infinite set, i.e., a set with an infinite number of members:

´4*ùÎ4 ƒ ü ( Î4 ї { ,{ }}Î4)]
We may think of this as follows. Let us define 
 


4

(͚4 ͛) as the union of the pair set of 4
and , i.e., as {4, }. Then the Axiom of Infinity asserts that there is a set 4 which contains ù as a
member and which is such that, anytime is a member of 4, and then { } is a member of 4.
Consequently, this axiom guarantees the existence of a set of the following form:
{ù, {ù}, {ù, {ù}}, {ù, {ù}, {ù, {ù}}}, ͙ }
Notice that the second element, {ù}, is in this set because (1) the fact that ù is in the set implies that ù
{ù} is in the set and (2) ù {ù } just is {ù}. Similarly, the third element, {ù, {ù }}, is in this set because (1)
the fact that {ù} is in the set implies that {ù}  {{ù}} is in the set and (2) {ù}  {{ù}} just is {ù , {ù }}. And so
forth.The next axiom asserts that every set is ͚well-founded͛:
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ü4*4 ù ї ´ ( Î4ƒüs(sÎ4 ї Ë(sÎ )))]
A member of a set 4 with this property is called a ͚minimal͛ element. This axiom rules out the existence
of circular chains of sets (e.g., such as 4Î ƒ Îsƒ and sÎ4) as well as infinitely descending chains of sets
(such as ͙ 43 Î42 Î41 Î40).The final axiom of ZF is the Replacement Schema. Suppose that ʔ(4, ,) is a
formula with 4 and free, and let  represent the variables 1,͙,, which may or may not be free in ʔ.
Furthermore, let ʔ4, ,*,,] be the result of substituting  and  for 4 and , respectively, in ʔ(4, ,).
Then every instance of the following schema is an axiom:
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ü1͙ü*ü4´! ʔ(4, ,) ї
ü ´
ü(Î
X´(Î ƒʔ4, ,*,,]))]
If we know that ʔ is a functional formula (which relates each set 4 to a unique set ), then if we are given
a set , we can form a new set
as follows: collect all of the sets to which the members of are
uniquely related by ʔ.Note that the Replacement Schema can take you ͚out of͛ the set when forming
the set
. The elements of
need not be elements of . ‰y contrast, the well-known Separation Schema
of Zermelo yields new sets consisting only of those elements of a given set which satisfy a certain
condition ʗ. That is, suppose that ʗ(4,) has 4 free and may or may not have 1,͙, free. And let
ʗ4,*,] be the result of substituting  for 4 in ʗ(4,). Then the Separation Schema asserts:

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üs1͙üs*ü ´
ü(Î
XÎ ƒʗ4,*,])]
In other words, if given a formula ʗ and a set , there exists a set
which has as members precisely the
members of which satisfy the formula ʗ. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/set-theory/ZF.html
 


In the early years when the development of sets where being defined the focus was not on defining the
set but to develop what set were and how they are applied. Zermelo and Fraenkel focused on defining
the sets and creating set rules predefined by a system of axioms. It was evident for the need to define
assumptions made in a set theory. To closely relate this theory to discrete mathematics, the ZF Theory
breaks down by definition the sets that are applied in discrete mathematics. Recall that discrete
mathematics deals with continuous sets rather than continuous numbers. The sets of objects that we
apply throughout the study of discrete math can be infinite or finite. In another words, the output can
go on infinitely or to a certain degree. Whether you are creating a computer program that has a ͞set͟
function to applying a formula in Microsoft͛s Excel or My SQL, you are applying the code that depends
on that set rule. Zermelo/Fraenkelwas early for their time which created controversy and arguments.
Since then, we have adopted the set theory axioms and apply it to discrete math.
‰y reading this theory, I can relate to some of the functions that I use today. The null set for instances
contain nothing (zero in mathematics), which we need to define in order for the process to perform a
function. In terms of database the null set function code means unknown until you add two other sets to
form the value of null. One that is produced the output of null is the output of what the two previous
codes are directed to do.

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‰ookrags.com (2005) Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory from World of Mathematics. 2005-2006 Thomson
Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. Retrieved October 24, 2010 from
http://www.bookrags.com/research/zermelo-fraenkel-set-theory-wom/

Stanford.edu Jech. T., (2002) Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory. Retrieved October 24, 2010 from
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/set-theory/ZF.html

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