Why does $\omega$ have no predecessor, and how do you generalize formulas that require the predecessor of ordinals to limit ordinals?

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$\omega$ is considered a limit ordinal, and an ordinal is considered a limit ordinal if and only if it has no predecessor, however, what about $\omega-1$?

And since limit ordinals cant have any predecessors then how do you extend the following,

$$_\beta N=\bigcup_{\alpha}\;_{\beta-1} N_\alpha$$ Because according to the rules of limit ordinals if $\beta$ is a limit ordinal there shouldn't exist, $\beta-1$. So how would you generalize the formula for $_\beta N$ for all ordinals?