Set Theory
A First Course

Set theory can be considered a unifying theory for mathematics. This book covers the fundamentals of the subject.

Daniel W. Cunningham (Author)

9781107120327, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 July 2016

262 pages, 13 b/w illus.
23.5 x 15.7 x 2 cm, 0.51 kg

'This book fulfills its stated goals: 'The textbook is suitable for a broad range of readers, from undergraduate to graduate students, who desire a better understanding of the fundamental topics in set theory that may have been, or will be, overlooked in their other mathematics courses'.' Shoshana Friedman, MathSciNet

Set theory is a rich and beautiful subject whose fundamental concepts permeate virtually every branch of mathematics. One could say that set theory is a unifying theory for mathematics, since nearly all mathematical concepts and results can be formalized within set theory. This textbook is meant for an upper undergraduate course in set theory. In this text, the fundamentals of abstract sets, including relations, functions, the natural numbers, order, cardinality, transfinite recursion, the axiom of choice, ordinal numbers, and cardinal numbers, are developed within the framework of axiomatic set theory. The reader will need to be comfortable reading and writing mathematical proofs. The proofs in this textbook are rigorous, clear, and complete, while remaining accessible to undergraduates who are new to upper-level mathematics. Exercises are included at the end of each section in a chapter, with useful suggestions for the more challenging exercises.

1. Introduction
2. Basic set building axioms and operations
3. Relations and functions
4. The natural numbers
5. On the size of sets
6. Transfinite recursion
7. The axiom of choice (revisited)
8. Ordinals
9. Cardinals.

Subject Areas: Set theory [PBCH], Mathematical foundations [PBC], Mathematics [PB]