The Importance of Developing a Foundation for Naive Category Theory. (28th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cabbolet, Marcoen J.T.F.
• Is Part Of: Thought. Volume 4:Number 4(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 237
• Page End: 242
• Publication Date: 2015-09-28
• Subjects: naive category theory -- foundations of mathematics -- definition of category -- Russel paradox -- logical inconsistency; Philosophy -- Periodicals; Logic -- Periodicals; Knowledge, Theory of -- Periodicals; 105
• DOI: 10.1002/tht3.183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2161-2234

Abstract

Abstract : Recently Feferman (Rev. Symb. Logic 6: 6–15, 2013) has outlined a program for the development of a foundation for naive category theory. While Ernst (ibid. 8: 306–327, 2015) has shown that the resulting axiomatic system is still inconsistent, the purpose of this note is to show that nevertheless some foundation has to be developed before naive category theory can replace axiomatic set theory as a foundational theory for mathematics. It is argued that in naive category theory currently a 'cookbook recipe' is used for constructing categories, and it is explicitly shown with a formalized argument that this "foundationless" naive category theory therefore contains a paradox similar to the Russell paradox of naive set theory.