axiom of choice

E87367

The axiom of choice is a fundamental principle in set theory asserting that one can select an element from each set in any collection of nonempty sets, with far-reaching consequences across mathematics.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf mathematical principle
set-theoretic axiom
abbreviationInZFC the C in ZFC
acceptedIn most mainstream mathematics
alsoKnownAs AC
appliesTo arbitrary collections of nonempty sets
centralTo development of modern set theory
consistencyRelativeTo Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory if ZF is consistent
controversialBecause implies counterintuitive results like Banach–Tarski paradox
leads to non-constructive existence proofs
domainOfDiscourse collections of nonempty sets
equivalentTo Tychonoff theorem for products of compact spaces
Zorn's lemma
every set can be written as a disjoint union of choice sets for a partition
every surjective function has a right inverse
every vector space has a basis
well-ordering theorem
expressedAs every family of nonempty sets admits a choice function
field set theory
formalizes ability to choose an element from each set in a family of nonempty sets
hasStrongerForm global axiom of choice
hasWeakerForm countable axiom of choice
dependent choice
implies Banach–Tarski paradox
Hausdorff maximal principle
every field has an algebraic closure
every infinite set has a countable subset
every product of nonempty sets is nonempty
every set can be well-ordered
every vector space has a Hamel basis
existence of non-measurable sets of real numbers
well-ordering of every set
independenceProvedBy Kurt Gödel
Paul Cohen
independentOf Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory without choice
influences foundations of mathematics
introducedBy Ernst Zermelo
logicalType existential axiom
motivatedBy well-ordering theorem
quantifierForm for every family F of nonempty sets there exists a function f with domain F such that f(X) is in X for all X in F
rejectedIn constructive mathematics
some schools of intuitionism
relatedTo continuum hypothesis
statusInZFC axiom of Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory with choice
usedIn algebra
category theory
functional analysis
measure theory
topology
yearIntroduced 1904

Referenced by (8)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
axiom of choice ("well-ordering theorem")
axiom of choice ("Zorn's lemma")
equivalentTo
Ernst Zermelo ("well-ordering theorem")
Ernst Zermelo
knownFor
axiom of choice ("Hausdorff maximal principle")
implies
set theory ("Zorn's lemma")
includesConcept
Ernst Zermelo ("well-ordering theorem")
proved
von Neumann paradox in set theory
usesAxiom

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