Exercise 1.3.7

The Axiom of Pair, the Axiom of Union, and the Axiom of Power Set can be replaced by the following weaker versions.

Weak Axiom of Pair: For any A and B , there is a set C such that A C and B C .

Weak Axiom of Union: For any S , there exists U such that if X A and A S , then X U .

Weak Axiom of Power Set: For any set S , there exists P such that X S implies X P .

Prove the Axiom of Pair, the Axiom of Union, and the Axiom of Power Set using these weaker versions. [Hint: Use also the Comprehension Schema.]

Answers

All the below proofs follow the same basic structure:

1.
Establish a property 𝐏 ( x ) that exactly matches the defining property of the set guaranteed to exist by the normal axiom.
2.
Instantiate the set C that exists by the weak form of the axiom.
3.
Show that 𝐏 ( x ) x C for all x .
4.
This proves that the set { x 𝐏 ( x ) } exists by the Axiom Schema of Comprehension, which is exactly the set asserted to exist by the normal axiom.

The Axiom of Pair

Proof. Suppose that A and B are sets and define the property 𝐏 ( x ) by x = A or x = B . Now let C be a set guaranteed to exist by the Weak Axiom of Pair such that A C and B C . Now suppose that 𝐏 ( x ) holds for x , hence x = A or x = B . If x = A then x C since A C . Similarly, in the other case in which x = B then also x C since B C . Hence, in both cases x C so that 𝐏 ( x ) implies that x C . Therefore, the set P = { x 𝐏 ( x ) } = { x C 𝐏 ( x ) } exists by the Axiom Schema of Comprehension. Of course P is exactly the set guaranteed to exist by the (normal) Axiom of Pair, proving the result. □

The Axiom of Union

Proof. Let S be any set and define the property 𝐏 ( x ) as x A for some A S . Now let C be a set guaranteed to exist by the Weak Axiom of Union so that, for every A S , x A implies that x C also. Suppose that 𝐏 ( x ) holds for x so that there is a particular A S such that x A . Then, since A S and x A , it follows from the Weak Axiom of Union that x C . Hence, we have established that 𝐏 ( x ) implies that x C . Therefore, by the Axiom Schema of Comprehension, the set { x 𝐏 ( X ) } = { x C 𝐏 ( x ) } exists, which is exactly the set guaranteed to exist by the (normal) Axiom of Union. □

The Axiom of Power Set

Proof. Let S be any set and define the property 𝐏 ( X ) by X S . Now let C be a set that exists by the Weak Axiom of Power Set so that X S implies that X C for all X . Next, suppose that 𝐏 ( X ) holds for X so that X S . Then, by the above, we have that X C so that clearly 𝐏 ( X ) implies that X C . Then the set P = { X 𝐏 ( X ) } = { X C 𝐏 ( X ) } exists by the Axiom Schema of Comprehension. Of course P is exactly the set guaranteed to exist be the (normal) Axiom of Power Set, proving our result. □

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2024-07-15 11:42
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