SET-THEORY AND PHYSICS

Inasmuch as physical theories are formalizable, set theory provides a framework for theoretical physics. Four speculations about the relevan ce of set theoretical modeling for physics are presented: the role of transcendental set theory (i) in chaos theory, (ii) for paradoxical de compositions of solid three-dimensional objects, (iii) in the theory o f effective computability (Church-Turing thesis) related to the possib le ''solution of supertasks,'' and (iv) for weak solutions. Several ap proaches to set theory mid their advantages and disadvantages for phys ical applications are discussed. Cantorian ''naive'' (i.e., nonaxiomat ic) set theory, contructivism, and operationalism. In rite author's op inion, an attitude of ''suspended attention'' (a term borrowed from ps ychoanalysis) seems most promising for progress. Physical and set theo retical entities must be operationalized wherever, possible. Ar the sa me lime, physicists should be open to ''bizarre'' oi ''mindboggling'' new formalisms, which need not be operationalizable or testable at the time of their creation, but which may successfully lend to novel fiel ds of phenomenology and technology.