Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory

πŸ…Ÿ Feb 16, 2026

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Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory, denoted by $\ZF$, consists of the following axioms.


Axiom 1. Axiom of Existence.

There exists a set:

\[\exists X : X = X.\]

Axiom 2. Axiom of Extensionality.

For any sets $X$ and $Y$,

\[(\forall x : x \in X \lrimp x \in Y) \enspace\rimp\enspace X = Y.\]

Axiom 3. Axiom of Empty Set.

There exists a set $\empt$ such that

\[\forall x : x \notin \empt.\]

By Axiom of Extensionality, $\empt$ is unique and is called the empty set.

A set $Y$ is non-empty if $Y \neq \empt$.


Axiom 4. Separation Schema.

Let $X$ be a set and $\varphi(x, p)$ be a formula with free variables among $x$ and $p$. For any $p$, there exists a set $Y$ such that

\[\forall x :\enspace% x \in Y \enspace\lrimp\enspace x \in X \land \varphi(x, p).\]

In other words, a subclass of a set is always a set.

By Axiom of Extensionality, $Y$ is unique. We write

\[Y = \{x \in X : \varphi(x, p)\}.\]

Axiom 5. Replacement Schema.

Let $X$ be a set and $\varphi(x, y, p)$ be a formula with free variables among $x$, $y$ and $p$, such that

\[\forall x, y, z :\enspace% \varphi(x, y) \land \varphi(x, z) \enspace\rimp\enspace y = z.\]

Then, for any $p$, there exists a set $Y$ such that

\[\forall y :\enspace% y \in Y \enspace\lrimp\enspace \exists x : x \in X \land \varphi(x, y, p).\]

In other words, if a class $F$ is functional and $X$ is a set, then the image $F[X]$ is always a set.


Axiom 6. Axiom of Pairing.

For any sets $a$ and $b$ there exists a set $X$ such that

\[\forall x :\enspace% x \in X \enspace\lrimp\enspace x = a \lor x = b.\]

By Axiom of Extensionality, $X$ is unique. We call it the pair of $a$ and $b$, denoted by $\{a, b\}$.

Definition 1.

For any set $a$, the singleton $\{a\}$ is the set $\{a, a\}$.


Axiom 7. Axiom of Union.

For any set $X$ there exists a set $Y$ such that

\[\forall y :\enspace% y \in Y \enspace\lrimp\enspace \exists x : x \in X \land y \in x.\]

By Axiom of Extensionality, $Y$ is unique. We call it the union of $X$, denoted by $\bigcup X$.

For any sets $A$ and $B$, we write

\[A \cup B = \bigcup \{A, B\}.\]

Definition 2.

A set $X$ is a subset of a set $Y$, written $X \subseteq Y$, if

\[\forall x :\enspace% x \in X \enspace\rimp\enspace x \in Y.\]

Axiom 8. Axiom of Power Set.

For any set $X$ there exists a set $Y$ such that

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

By Axiom of Extensionality, $Y$ is unique. We call it the power set of $X$, denoted by $\powerset(X)$.


Definition 3.

Two sets $X$ and $Y$ are disjoint if

\[\neg (\exists x : x \in X \land x \in Y).\]

Axiom 9. Axiom of Regularity.

Every non-empty set $X$ has an element $x$ that is disjoint from $X$.

As a corollary:

Proposition 1. Irreflexivity of $\in$.

No set is an element of itself.

Proof. For any set $X$, if $X \in X$, then $X$ and $\{X\}$ are not disjoint, contrary to Axiom of Regularity.


Axiom 10. Axiom of Infinity.

There exists a set $X$ such that $\empt \in X$ and

\[\forall x :\enspace x \in X \enspace\rimp\enspace x \cup \{x\} \in X.\]

In other words, there exists an inductive set $X$ such that $\empt \in X$.


Remark 1. Redundant Axioms.

  1. Axiom of Infinity implies Axiom of Existence and Axiom of Empty Set.
  2. Replacement Schema together with Axiom of Empty Set implies Separation Schema.
  3. Replacement Schema together with Axiom of Existence implies Axiom of Empty Set.

Therefore, the following axioms are enough to construct $\ZF$: