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Definition df-cleq 2134
Description: Define the equality connective between classes. Definition 2.7 of [Quine] p. 18. Also Definition 4.5 of [TakeutiZaring] p. 13; Chapter 4 provides its justification and methods for eliminating it. Note that its elimination will not necessarily result in a single wff in the original language but possibly a "scheme" of wffs.

This is an example of a somewhat "risky" definition, meaning that it has a more complex than usual soundness justification (outside of Metamath), because it "overloads" or reuses the existing equality symbol rather than introducing a new symbol. This allows us to make statements that may not hold for the original symbol. For example, it permits us to deduce y = z <-> A.x(x e. y <-> x e. z), which is not a theorem of logic but rather presupposes the Axiom of Extensionality (see theorem axext4 2126). We therefore include this axiom as a hypothesis, so that the use of Extensionality is properly indicated.

We could avoid this complication by introducing a new symbol, say =2, in place of =. This would also have the advantage of making elimination of the definition straightforward, so that we could eliminate Extensionality as a hypothesis. We would then also have the advantage of being able to identify in various proofs exactly where Extensionality truly comes into play rather than just being an artifact of a definition.. One of our theorems would then be x =2 y <-> x = y by invoking Extensionality.

However, to conform to literature usage, we retain this overloaded definition. This also makes some proofs shorter and probably easier to read, without the constant switching between two kinds of equality.

See also comments under df-clab 2129, df-clel 2137, and abeq2 2248.

Hypothesis
Ref Expression
df-cleq.1 |- (A.x(x e. y <-> x e. z) -> y = z)
Assertion
Ref Expression
df-cleq |- (A = B <-> A.x(x e. A <-> x e. B))
Distinct variable groups:   x,A   x,B   x,y,z

Detailed syntax breakdown of Definition df-cleq
StepHypRef Expression
1 cA . . 3 class A
2 cB . . 3 class B
31, 2wceq 1586 . 2 wff A = B
4 vx . . . . . 6 set x
54cv 1585 . . . . 5 class x
65, 1wcel 1588 . . . 4 wff x e. A
75, 2wcel 1588 . . . 4 wff x e. B
86, 7wb 219 . . 3 wff (x e. A <-> x e. B)
98, 4wal 1584 . 2 wff A.x(x e. A <-> x e. B)
103, 9wb 219 1 wff (A = B <-> A.x(x e. A <-> x e. B))
Colors of variables: wff set class
This definition is referenced by:  dfcleq 2135
Copyright terms: Public domain