Exercise 10.10

Theorem. Let J and C be well-ordered sets; assume that there is no surjective function mapping a section of J onto C. Then there exists a unique function h : J C satisfying the equation

(∗) h(x) = smallest[C h(Sx)]

for each x J, where Sx is the section of J by x.

Proof.

(a)
If h and k map sections of J, or all of J, into C and satisfy (∗) for all x in their respective domains, show that h(x) = k(x) for all x in both domains.
(b)
If there exists a function h : Sα C satisfying (∗), show that there exists a function k : Sα {α} C satisfying (∗).
(c)
If K J and for all α K there exists a function hα : Sα C satisfying (∗), show that there exists a function k : αKSα C

satisfying (∗).

(d)
Show by transfinite induction that for every β J, there exists a function hβ : Sβ C satisfying (∗). [Hint: If β has an immediate predecessor α, then Sβ = Sα {α}. If not, Sβ is the union of all Sα with α < β.]
(e)
Prove the theorem.

Answers

The following lemma is proven by transfinite induction, which is more straightforward than having to frame everything in terms of inductive sets. Henceforth we use this whenever transfinite induction is required.

Lemma 1. (Proof by transfinite induction) Suppose that J is a well-ordered set and P(x) is a proposition with parameter x. Suppose also that if P(x) is true for all x Sα (where Sα is a section of J), then P(α) is also true. Then P(β) is true for every β J.

Proof. Let J0 = {x JP(x)}. We show that J0 is inductive. So consider any α J and suppose that Sα J0. Then, for any x Sα we have that x J0 so that P(x). It then follows that P(α) is also true since x was arbitrary, and so α J0. Since α J was arbitrary, this shows that J0 is inductive. It then follows from Exercise 10.7 that J0 = J. So consider any β J so that also β J0 and hence P(β) is true. Since β was arbitrary, this shows the desired result. □

Main Problem.

(a)

Proof. First, suppose that the domains of h and k are sets H and K where each is either a section of J or J itself. Since this is the case, we can assume without loss of generality that H K and so H is exactly the domain common to both h and k. Now suppose that the hypothesis we are trying to prove is not true so that there is an x in both domains (i.e. x H) where h(x)k(x). We can also assume that x is the smallest such element since H J and J are well-ordered. It then clearly follows that Sx H is a section of J and that h(y) = k(y) for all y Sx. From this, we clearly have that h(Sx) = k(Sx). But then we have

h(x) = smallest[C h(Sx)] = smallest[C k(Sx)] = k(x)

since both h and k satisfy (∗) and x is in the domain of both. This contradicts the supposition that h(x)k(x) so that it must be that no such x exists and hence h and k are the same in their common domain as desired. □

(b)

Proof. Suppose that h : Sα C is such a function satisfying (∗). Now let S¯α = Sα {α} and we define k : S¯α C as follows. For any x S¯α set

k(x) = { h(x) x Sα smallest[C h(Sα)]x = α.

We note that clearly Sα and {α} are disjoint so that this is unambiguous. We also note that h is not surjective onto C since Sα is a section of J, and hence C h(Sα) and so has a smallest element since C is well-ordered.

Now we show that k satisfies (∗). First, clearly h(Sx) = k(Sx) for any x α since k(y) = h(y) by definition for any y Sx Sα. Now consider any x S¯α. If x = α then by definition we have

k(x) = smallest[C h(Sα)] = smallest[C k(Sα)] = smallest[C k(Sx)].

On the other hand, if x Sα then x < α so that

k(x) = h(x) = smallest[C h(Sx)] = smallest[C k(Sx)]

since h satisfies (∗). Therefore, since x was arbitrary, this shows that k also satisfies (∗). □

(c)

Proof. Let

k = αKhα,

which we claim is the function we seek.

First, we show that k is actually a function from αKSα to C. So consider any x in the domain of k. Suppose that (x,a) and (x,b) are both in k so that there are α and β in K where (x,a) hα and (x,b) hβ. Since hα and hβ both satisfy (∗), it follows from part (a) that a = hα(x) = hβ(x) = b since clearly x is in the domain of both. This shows that k is indeed a function since (x,a) and (x,b) were arbitrary. Also clearly the domain of k is αKSα since, for any x αKSα, we have that there is an α K where x Sα. Hence x is in the domain of hα and so in the domain of k. In the other direction, clearly, if x is in the domain of k then it is in the domain of hα for some α K. Since this domain is Sα, clearly x αKSα. Lastly, obviously, the range of k can be C since this is the range of every hα.

Now we show that k satisfies (∗). So consider any x αKSα so that x Sα for some α K. Clearly we have that k(y) = hα(y) for every y Sα since hα k. It then immediately follows that k(x) = h(x) and k(Sx) = hα(Sx) since Sx Sα. Then, since hα satisfies (∗), we have

k(x) = hα(x) = smallest[C hα(Sx)] = smallest[C k(Sx)].

Since x was arbitrary, this shows that k satisfies (∗) as desired. □

(d)

Proof. Consider any β J and suppose that, for every x Sβ, there is a function hx : Sx C satisfying (∗). Now, if β has an immediate predecessor α then we claim that Sβ = Sα {α}. First if x Sβ then x < β so that x α since α is the immediate predecessor of β. If x < α then x Sα and if x = α then x {α}. Hence in either case we have that x Sα {α}. Now suppose that x Sα {α}. If x Sα then x < α < β so that s Sβ. On the other hand if x {α} then x = α < β so that again x Sβ. Thus we have shown that Sβ Sα {α} and Sα {α} Sβ so that Sβ = Sα {α}. Since α Sβ it follows that there is an hα : Sα C that satisfies (∗). Then, by part (b), we have that there is an hβ : Sβ = Sα {α} C that also satisfies (∗).

If β does not have an immediate predecessor then we claim that Sβ = γ<βSγ. So consider any x Sβ so that x < β. Since x cannot be the immediate predecessor of β, there must be an α where x < α < β. Then x Sα so that, since α < β, clearly x γ<βSγ. Now suppose that x γ<βSγ so that there is an α < β where x Sα. Then clearly x < α < β so that also x Sβ. Thus we have shown that Sβ γ<βSγ and γ<βSγ Sβ so that Sβ = γ<βSγ. Now, clearly Sβ is a subset of J where there is an hx : Sx C satisfying (∗) for every x Sβ. Then it follows from what was shown in part (c) that there is a function hβ from γ<SβSγ = γ<βSγ = Sβ to C that satisfies (∗).

Therefore, in either case, we have shown that there is an hβ : Sβ C that satisfies (∗). The desired result then follows by transfinite induction. □

(e)

Proof. First, suppose that J has no largest element. Then we claim that J = αJSα. For any x J there must be a y J where x < y since x cannot be the greatest element of J. Hence x Sy so that also clearly αJSα. Then, for any x αJSα, there is an α J where x Sα. Clearly, Sα J so that x J also. Hence J αJSα and αJSα J so that J = αJSα. Since we know from part (d) that there is an hα : Sα C that satisfies (∗) for every α J, it follows from part (c) that there is a function h from αJSα = J to C that satisfies (∗).

If J does have a largest element β then clearly J = Sβ {β}. Since we know that there is an hβ : Sβ C that satisfies (∗) by part (d), it follows from part (b) that there is a function h from Sβ {β} = J to C that satisfies (∗). Hence the desired function h exists in both cases. part (a) also clearly shows that this function is unique. □

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2019-12-01 00:00
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