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Choice sequences and informal rigour

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Abstract

In this paper we discuss a particular example of the passage from the informal, but rigorous description of a concept to the axiomatic formulation of principles holding for the concept; in particular, we look at the principles of continuity and lawlike choice in the theory of lawless sequences. Our discussion also leads to a better understanding of the rôle of the so-called density axiom for lawless sequences.

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This paper is the revised text of a lecture in the workshop ‘The present state of the problem of foundations of mathematics’, June 15–19, 1981, Florence, Italy; at the workshop, the paper was read by D. van Dalen. This text was written in 1981; I would now draw slightly different conclusions from the material presented here.

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Troelstra, A.S. Choice sequences and informal rigour. Synthese 62, 217–227 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00486047

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