Notes on Set Theory (2nd ed.)

The axiomatic theory of sets is a vibrant part of pure mathematics, with its own basic notions, fundamental results, and deep open problems. At the same time, it is often viewed as a foundation of mathematics so that in the most prevalent, current mathematical practice "to make a notion precise" simply means "to define it in set theory." This book tries to do justice to both aspects: it gives a solid introduction to "pure set theory" through transfinite recursion and the construction of the cumu