Re: Is {{}} a valid construct?

On Feb 6, 7:18 pm, "Neo" <neo55..._at_hotmail.com> wrote:
> Suppose I have a box that contains an apple and orange and I want to
> represent the box's content and not any part of the box. Using set
> theory, it would look like this:
>
> U = {apple, orange}
>
> Next I add nothing to the box. From discussion in this thread, it
> appears all here, expect me, would would represent it as follows
> because nothing is treated as something:
>
> U = {apple, orange, {}}
>
> Now I do a reality check. I count the number of things in the box and
> get 2. I count the number of elements in the set and I get 3 :(

So the thing is, the one who made up this flawed example is you. If it has problems, they are flaws in your example, not in set theory. Otherwise my representing unicorns with 1 would bring down arithmetic.

Marshall Received on Tue Feb 06 2007 - 22:03:44 CST