Equivalence of Well-Ordering Principle and Induction/Proof/PFI implies PCI

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Theorem

The Principle of Finite Induction implies the Principle of Complete Finite Induction.


That is:

Principle of Finite Induction: Given a subset $S \subseteq \N$ of the natural numbers which has these properties:
$0 \in S$
$n \in S \implies n + 1 \in S$
then $S = \N$.

implies:

Principle of Complete Finite Induction: Given a subset $S \subseteq \N$ of the natural numbers which has these properties:
$0 \in S$
$\set {0, 1, \ldots, n} \subseteq S \implies n + 1 \in S$
then $S = \N$.


Proof

To save space, we will refer to:

The Principle of Finite Induction as PFI
The Principle of Complete Finite Induction as PCI.


Let us assume that the PFI is true.

Let $S \subseteq \N$ which satisfy:

$(A): \quad 0 \in S$
$(B): \quad \set {0, 1, \ldots, n} \subseteq S \implies n + 1 \in S$.

We want to show that $S = \N$, that is, the PCI is true.


Let $P \paren n$ be the propositional function:

$P \paren n \iff \set {0, 1, \ldots, n} \subseteq S$

We define the set $S'$ as:

$S' = \set {n \in \N: P \paren n \text { is true} }$


$P \paren 0$ is true by $(A)$, so $0 \in S'$.

Assume $P \paren k$ is true where $k \ge 0$.

So $k \in S'$, and by hypothesis:

$\set {0, 1, \ldots, k} \subseteq S$

So by $(B)$:

$k + 1 \in S$

Thus:

$\set {0, 1, \ldots, k, k + 1} \subseteq S$.

That last statement means $P \paren {k + 1}$ is true.

This means $k + 1 \in S'$.

Thus we have satisfied the conditions:

$0 \in S'$
$n \in S' \implies n + 1 \in S'$

That is, $S' = \N$, and $P \paren n$ holds for all $n \in \N$.

Hence, by definition:

$S = \N$

So PFI gives that $S = \N$.

Therefore PFI implies PCI.

$\blacksquare$


Sources