PET Symbol Dictionary#
This page defines all symbols used in the PET axiom system (ax1–ax14). For the axioms themselves, see PET Axioms ax1–ax14. For derived results, see PET Theorems.
Entities and Variables#
Symbol |
Name |
Meaning |
Technical context |
|---|---|---|---|
G |
God |
The distinguished divine entity |
Distinguished constant |
W |
The World |
Totality of all finite/created entities |
Distinguished constant |
\(G_n\) |
Necessary divine aspect |
The abstract, unchanging divine nature that exists in every possible world |
Component of dipolar decomposition (ax11) |
\(G_c\) |
Contingent divine aspect |
God’s concrete experience, which varies depending on which world exists |
Component of dipolar decomposition (ax11) |
\(G_c(w_i)\) |
Subworld divine experience |
God’s contingent experience specific to subworld \(w_i\) |
Functional structure added in strengthened ax11 (lines 3–4) |
\(R\) |
God’s self-knowledge |
The set of true propositions about God |
Defined so that ax12 is tautological by design; substantive work shifts to ax14 |
\(p, q\) |
Propositions |
Statements that can be true or false |
Propositional variables |
\(x, y\) |
Entities |
Parts of God or the world |
Individual variables |
\(w_i\) |
Subworld |
A part of the world W (i.e., \(w_i \leq W\)) |
Used in ax11 to index divine experience |
Relations and Predicates#
Symbol |
Name |
Meaning |
Technical context |
|---|---|---|---|
\(\leq\) |
“is part of” |
Mereological parthood: reflexive, transitive, antisymmetric |
Mereology (part-whole logic) |
\(<\) |
“is proper part of” |
\(x \leq y\) and \(y \nleq x\) (part of, but not identical to) |
Derived from \(\leq\) |
\(P(x, y)\) |
“x is present to y” |
A relation of immediate awareness or access |
Primitive relation (axiomatically introduced, not further reduced) |
\(S(x, y)\) |
“x sustains y” |
y’s continued existence depends on x |
Primitive relation |
\(\text{Pos}(\varphi)\) |
“φ is a positive property” |
A perfection in Gödel’s sense |
From Gödel’s ontological framework; listed but unused in ax1–ax14 |
\(\text{claim}(p)\) |
“p is claimed divine” |
A human claim that proposition p is divinely revealed |
Introduced in ax14 (Revelation Claims Test) |
Logical Operators#
Symbol |
Name |
Meaning |
Technical context |
|---|---|---|---|
\(\Box\) |
Necessarily |
True in every possible world |
Modal logic S5 |
\(\Diamond\) |
Possibly |
True in at least one possible world |
Modal logic S5 |
\(\forall\) |
For all |
Every entity satisfies the condition |
First-order logic (universal quantifier) |
\(\exists\) |
There exists |
At least one entity satisfies the condition |
First-order logic (existential quantifier) |
\(\exists!\) |
There exists exactly one |
Exactly one entity satisfies the condition |
First-order logic (uniqueness quantifier) |
\(\wedge\) |
And |
Both conditions hold simultaneously |
Propositional logic (conjunction) |
\(\vee\) |
Or |
At least one condition holds |
Propositional logic (disjunction) |
\(\neg\) |
Not |
The condition does not hold |
Propositional logic (negation) |
\(\rightarrow\) |
Implies / If…then |
If the first condition holds, then the second must hold |
Propositional logic (material conditional) |
\(\oplus\) |
Mereological sum |
The combination of parts into a whole |
Mereology |
\(\in\) |
Is a member of |
The element belongs to the set |
Set theory |
\(\neq\) |
Is not equal to |
The two entities are distinct |
Standard mathematics |
Note
Modal logic S5 is the system where “possibly necessary” implies “necessary.” This means the accessibility relation between possible worlds is an equivalence relation: every world can “see” every other world. S5 is the standard choice for reasoning about metaphysical necessity.