Restriction of Non-Reflexive Relation is Not Necessarily Non-Reflexive

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Theorem

Let $S$ be a set.

Let $\RR \subseteq S \times S$ be a non-reflexive relation on $S$.


Let $T \subseteq S$ be a subset of $S$.

Let $\RR {\restriction_T} \subseteq T \times T$ be the restriction of $\RR$ to $T$.


Then $\RR {\restriction_T}$ is not necessarily a non-reflexive relation on $T$.


Proof

Proof by Counterexample:

Let $S = \set {a, b}$.

Let $\RR = \set {\tuple {b, b} }$.

$\RR$ is a non-reflexive relation, as can be seen by definition:

$\tuple {a, a} \notin \RR$
$\tuple {b, b} \in \RR$

Now let $T = \set a$.

Then $\RR {\restriction_T} = \O$.

So:

$\forall x \in T: \tuple {x, x} \notin \RR {\restriction_T}$

That is, $\RR {\restriction_T}$ is an antireflexive relation on $T$.

That is, specifically not a non-reflexive relation.

$\blacksquare$


Also see