Prove that a “set of all sets” does not exist.

elementary-set-theorysolution-verification

Axiom I used for the proof:

The Axiom Schema of Comprehension: Let 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 P$(x)$.

Here is my attempt:

Suppose for the sake of contradiction that the set of all sets indeed exist and we call it $V$. Now consider the property P$(x)$: $x\notin x$. Then by the Comprehension Schema, there exists a set $X$ in which $x\in X$ if and only if $x\in V$ and P$(x)$; i.e.,
\begin{align*}
x\in X\iff x\in V\text{ and }x\notin x.
\end{align*}

Since $V$ is the set of all sets and $X$ is a set, then we must have $X\in V$. If $X\in V$ then either $X\in X$ or $X\notin X$. If $X\in X$ then we have
\begin{align*}
X\in X\iff X\in V\text{ and }X\notin X,
\end{align*}

a contradiction. Now if $X\notin X$ then
\begin{align*}
X\notin X\iff X\notin V\text{ or }X\in X,
\end{align*}

but if $X\notin V$, then we are done. Now if $X\in X$, this again yield a contradiction. In either case, a contradiction. Therefore $X\notin V$, and thus the set of all sets does not exist.

is this proof correct?

Best Answer

Yes, your proof is correct.

You can actually rephrase your proof and make it constructive. Doing so only slightly modified the proof. Instead of doing case analysis on whether $X \in X$, we can phrase this step of the proof as follows:

Suppose $X \in X$. In that case, we would have $X \notin X$, which is a contradiction. Therefore, we must have $X \notin X$.

Now we have $X \notin X$. We also trivially have $X \in V$. Therefore, $X \in X$. This is a contradiction. Therefore, there must not be any such set $V$. $\square$

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