Power Set

🅟 Feb 17, 2026

  🅤 Mar 02, 2026

DEF-P. Powerset.

The power set of $X$, denoted by $\powerset(X)$, is the unique set $Y$ such that

\[\forall y :\enspace y\in Y \enspace\lrimp\enspace y\subseteq X.\]

The existence of $Y$ is justified by Axiom of Power Set and its uniqueness is justified by Axiom of Extensionality.


PROP-P-EMP.

\[\powerset(\varnothing) = \{\varnothing\}.\]

PROP-P-CANT. Cantor’s Theorem.

For any $X$,

\[\lvert X\rvert < \lvert\powerset(X)\rvert.\]

Proof.If $f:X\to\powerset(X)$ were a surjection, there would be an $a\in X$ such that

\[f(a) = \{x\in X : x\notin f(x)\}.\]

Consider whether $a\in f(a)$.

PROP-P-CARD.

For any $X$,

\[\lvert\powerset(X)\rvert = 2^{\lvert X\rvert}.\]

Proof.

\[\varphi : \powerset(X)\to\fun(X,2), \, A\mapsto f_A\]

is a bijection, where

\[f_A : X\to 2, \, x \mapsto \begin{cases} 1, & \text{if $x\in A$}; \\ 0, & \text{if $x\notin A$}. \end{cases}\]

PROP-P-CA. Corollary of Cantor’s Theorem + PROP-P-CARD

For any cardinal $\kappa$,

\[\kappa < 2^\kappa.\]