Ladder

Axiom of choice — the ladder

One essay so far against this idea. A ladder is the distinct arguments that stand against one idea, and this one has room to grow.
  1. Every way of choosing one thing from each of 4 pairs. A table with one row per choice function on a small family of pairs, each row giving what it takes from each pair, with the row a stated rule names picked out.

    The choice nobody can write down

    Given finitely many pairs, picking one thing from each is a finite list of decisions and needs no justification. Given infinitely many, the list cannot be finished — and whether one exists anyway is an axiom, independent of everything else, whose consequences include a theorem most people refuse to believe.

    rung 1 · logic

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