Single Idea 9563

[catalogued under 4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 8. Critique of Set Theory]

Full Idea

A pack of wolves is not thought to go out of existence just because some member of the pack is killed.

Gist of Idea

A pack of wolves doesn't cease when one member dies

Source

Charles Chihara (A Structural Account of Mathematics [2004], 07.5)

Book Reference

Chihara,Charles: 'A Structural Account of Mathematics' [OUP 2004], p.203


A Reaction

The point is that the formal extensional notion of a set doesn't correspond to our common sense notion of a group or class. Even a highly scientific theory about wolves needs a loose notion of a wolf pack.