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57 bytes added ,  00:16, June 9, 2010
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: <math>S=\{T\mid T\not\in T\}.</math>
 
: <math>S=\{T\mid T\not\in T\}.</math>
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Here is the flaw.  Is Set S a member of itself?  If S is a member of itself, then it cannot be a member of itself by the very definition of S.  But if S is not a member of itself, then it must be a member of itself, again by its very definition.  Hence there is a fundamental logical contradiction in this type of set, and in any theory that allows it.
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Here is the flaw.  Is Set S a member of itself?  If S is a member of itself, then it cannot be a member of itself by the very definition of S.  But if S is not a member of itself, then it must be a member of itself, again by its very definition.  Hence there is a fundamental logical contradiction in this type of set, and in any theory that allows it. In formal terms,
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:<math> S\in S \iff S\not\in S.</math>
    
Russel's paradox and others like it can be avoided only at the expense of giving up the idea that any criteria can be used to construct sets. For example in [[Zermelo-Fraenkel]] set theory the construction <math>S=\{T\mid T\not\in T\}</math> would not qualify as [[well-founded]]. Some formulations of set theory would allow such a construction but then S would be a [[proper class]] rather than a set.
 
Russel's paradox and others like it can be avoided only at the expense of giving up the idea that any criteria can be used to construct sets. For example in [[Zermelo-Fraenkel]] set theory the construction <math>S=\{T\mid T\not\in T\}</math> would not qualify as [[well-founded]]. Some formulations of set theory would allow such a construction but then S would be a [[proper class]] rather than a set.