Addition in Minimally Inductive Set is Unique
Theorem
Let $\omega$ be the minimally inductive set.
Let $A: \omega \times \omega \to \omega$ be the mapping defined as the addition operation:
- $\forall \tuple {x, y} \in \omega \times \omega: \map A {x, y} = \begin {cases} x & : y = 0 \\ \paren {\map A {x, r} }^+ & : y = r^+ \end {cases}$
where $r^+$ is the successor set of $r$.
Then $A$ exists and is unique.
Proof
Recall the Principle of Recursive Definition (Strong Version):
Let $\omega$ denote the natural numbers as defined by the von Neumann construction.
Let $A$ be a class.
Let $c \in A$.
Let $g: \omega \times A \to A$ be a mapping.
Then there exists exactly one mapping $f: \omega \to A$ such that:
- $\forall x \in \omega: \map f x = \begin{cases} c & : x = \O \\ \map g {n, \map f n} & : x = n^+ \end{cases}$
From the von Neumann construction, this $\omega$ is exactly the minimally inductive set as defined in the problem statement.
Let $g: \omega \times \omega \to \omega$ be the mapping defined as:
- $\forall \tuple {x, y} \in \omega \times \omega: \map g {x, y} := y^+$
Hence from the Principle of Recursive Definition (Strong Version), there exists a unique mapping $f: \omega \to \omega$ such that:
- $\forall x \in \omega: \map f x = \begin{cases}
c & : x = \O \\ x^+ & : x = n^+ \end{cases}$
which we get by identifying $\map g {x, y}$ with $y^+$.
Let us fix some arbitrary $x_0 \in \omega$.
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Sources
- 2010: Raymond M. Smullyan and Melvin Fitting: Set Theory and the Continuum Problem (revised ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $3$: The Natural Numbers: $\S 8$ Definition by finite recursion: Exercise $8.4 \ \text {(a)}$