Set Theory in the Foundation of Math;
Internal Classes, External Sets.

Leonid Levin (Boston University)

Usual math sets have special types: countable, compact, open, occasionally Borel, rarely projective, etc. They have finite "depth": are described by a single Set Theory formula with variables ranging over objects unrelated to math formulas. Exotic expressions referring to sets with no depth limit or to Powerset axiom appear mostly in esoteric or foundational studies.

Recognizing internal to math (formula-specified) and external (based on parameters in those formulas) aspects of math objects greatly simplifies foundations. I postulate external sets (not internally specified, treated as the domain of variables) to be hereditarily countable and independent of formula-defined classes, i.e. with finite Kolmogorov Information about them. This allows elimination of all non-integer quantifiers in Set Theory statements.

Talk Outline:

Set Theory: Some History, Self-Referentials.
Dealing with the Concerns, Cardinalities.
Going at the Self-Referential Root.
Radical Computer Theorist Hits Back.
Some Complexity Background.
Independence Postulate.
Eliminating All Non-integer Quantifiers.
A Problem: One-Way Functions.
Takeout: the Issues.
Takeout: a Way to Handle.
Some More IP Applications.
Appendix: ZFC Axioms.
To Modify ZFC.

Slides in: https://www.cs.bu.edu/fac/lnd/.m/tlk.pdf
More details in: https://www.cs.bu.edu/fac/lnd/.m/sta.pdf