Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science

From: robert j. kolker (nowhere_at_nowhere.net)
Date: 03/20/05 

Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 08:25:50 -0500

Allan C Cybulskie wrote:

>
> Excellent. Then I'll say that the set of integers has more elements than
> the set of even integers and you'll leave me alone since that won't be a
> comment on the definitions of your mathematics, okay?

What you are -really- saying and would if you would use more exact
terminology is that the set of even integers is a proper subset of the
set of integers. This use of the word "more" has an unfortunate
consequences. If you are consistent you cannot use "more" to compare
disjoint sets. What about the set {a,b} and the set of integers. If you
restrict yourself to sets which are partially ordered by containment you
have no basis for asserting there are "more" integers than there are
elements in the set {a,b}. Is this what you really want?

Bob Kolker

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