Skip to content(if available)orjump to list(if available)

A new bridge links the math of infinity to computer science

A new bridge links the math of infinity to computer science

7 comments

·November 25, 2025
Visit

k_bx

> All of modern mathematics is built on the foundation of set theory, the study of how to organize abstract collections of objects

What the hell. What about Type Theory?

rdlw

Is there a collection of type theory axioms anywhere near as influential as ZF or ZFC?

k_bx

Sure, but is discarding Type Theory and Category Theory really fair with a phrase like "All of modern mathematics"? Especially in terms of a connection with computer science.

umanwizard

"the study of how to organize abstract collections of objects" is not really a great explanation of set theory. But it is true that the usual way (surely not the only way) to formalize mathematics is starting with set-theoretic axioms and then defining everything in terms of sets.

k_bx

"Usual", "most common by far" etc. are all great phrases, but not "all of mathematics", esp when we talk about math related to computer science

umanwizard

Math related to CS is typically formalized starting with set theory, just like other branches of math.

nathias

the empirical modern mathematics are build on set theory, type and category theory are just other possible foundations