axiom schema of separation

E84443

The axiom schema of separation is a principle in set theory that guarantees the existence of subsets defined by properties or predicates, helping to avoid paradoxes by restricting unrestricted set formation.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
axiom schema of specification 1

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf axiom schema
set theory axiom
alsoKnownAs axiom schema of restricted comprehension
axiom schema of separation
surface form: axiom schema of specification

axiom schema of subset formation
assumes that all elements of the subset come from a given set A
centralTo modern axiomatic set theory
compatibleWith standard cumulative hierarchy view of sets
componentOf Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory
surface form: Zermelo–Fraenkel axioms
contrastsWith axiom schema of unrestricted comprehension
dependsOn prior existence of a set from which a subset is separated
doesNotAllow formation of a set of all objects satisfying a property without a bounding set
doesNotEntail existence of a universal set
ensures existence of subsets defined by formulas
entails every definable subclass of a set is a set
expressedAs ∀A ∀p1 … ∀pn ∃B ∀x (x ∈ B ↔ x ∈ A ∧ φ(x, p1, …, pn))
expressibleIn first-order logic with equality and membership
field set theory
formalizes subset formation by property
foundationFor safe use of predicates in set formation
hasConsequence definable subclasses of the universe may fail to be sets
hasForm for any formula φ(x, p1, …, pn) and any set A, there is a set {x in A : φ(x, p1, …, pn)}
implies existence of subsets of any given set satisfying a given property
influencedBy paradoxes of naive set theory
introducedBy Ernst Zermelo
introducedInContextOf foundations of set theory
introducedToSolve logical paradoxes in naive set theory
isInfiniteSchema true
logicalForm infinite family of axioms, one for each formula φ
prevents construction of Russell set {x : x ∉ x} as a set
purpose to avoid set-theoretic paradoxes such as Russell's paradox
quantifiesOver formulas of the language of set theory
relatedTo axiom of power set
axiom of replacement
requires a defining formula with parameters
restricts unrestricted set comprehension
role to limit comprehension to subsets of existing sets
schemaOver all formulas φ in the first-order language of set theory
usedIn ZF
surface form: ZFC

Zermelo set theory
Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory
usedToProve existence of intersections of sets
existence of many standard set-theoretic constructions
existence of relative complements
weakerThan axiom schema of replacement
yearIntroducedApprox 1908

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

axiom schema of separation alsoKnownAs axiom schema of separation
this entity surface form: axiom schema of specification
Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory hasAxiom axiom schema of separation