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The compactness tree yields a prime ideal for an enumerated Boolean algebra
Statement
In ZF, every nontrivial Boolean algebra supplied with a surjection has a prime ideal.
Equivalently, in the explicitly enumerated sense, every countable finitely satisfiable Boolean diagram has a two-valued solution: the variables and the requirements “a specified finite Boolean term has value or ” are supplied with enumerations, and finite satisfiability means that every finite set of requirements has a valuation in satisfying it.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: A nontrivial Boolean algebra and a specified surjection .
Homomorphisms on finite generated subalgebras are finite partial prime-ideal diagrams, and their zero fibres are prime on those subalgebras. Finite partial prime-ideal diagrams
Every such finite homomorphism extends across a larger finite generated subalgebra in ZF. Extension of finite partial prime-ideal diagrams
Proof
Let and let level consist of all homomorphisms , ordered by restriction. Each level is finite: is determined by the bit string , even when the enumeration repeats elements.
Level has the unique homomorphism on because is nontrivial. By F2 every level- node extends to level , so finite induction makes every level nonempty.
Diagram compactness implies the prime-ideal assertion as follows. For the supplied enumeration of , use variables and enumerate the requirements when , when , and , , or whenever the corresponding equality holds in , including for repeated enumerates. Every finite set of requirements is satisfied by a homomorphism on the finite subalgebra generated by its finitely many mentioned elements, using F2. A total solution induces a well-defined homomorphism , whose zero fibre is prime by F1.
Call a node good if it has extensions at arbitrarily high levels. The level- node is good by step 2.1. A good node has at least one good immediate successor: its possible successors have bit or , and if both existing successors had finite extension bounds, their maximum would bound the parent. Recursively take the bit- good successor when it exists and otherwise the bit- good successor. This definable binary preference produces a coherent branch in ZF, without applying choice or general König's lemma.
For , define to be the unique value occurring once ; surjectivity supplies such an and coherence makes the value independent of and of repetitions in . Every finite Boolean calculation occurs in some , where preserves it, so is a total homomorphism.
The set contains , omits , is downward closed and join-closed, and implies , hence or . Thus is a proper prime ideal.
The prime-ideal assertion implies diagram compactness. For an enumerated finitely satisfiable diagram , let be the countable free Boolean algebra of finite terms in its variables and let be the ideal generated by for every requirement and by for every requirement . The ideal is proper: an equation with generators would be contradicted by a two-valued valuation satisfying their finitely many requirements. Hence is a nontrivial enumerated Boolean algebra. A prime ideal of gives a homomorphism to by value on the ideal and on its complement; composed with the variables, it satisfies every requirement in .
Steps 5.1, 6.1, and 2.2 prove the prime-ideal claim and both directions of the stated equivalence in ZF. The only infinite recursion, step 3.1, uses a fixed preference between two bits; all other witness collections occur over a single finite set.
Depends on
Used by
Dependency tree · two levels
3 results within two dependency steps of this one, each drawn at its shortest distance from it. An arrow runs from a result to what uses it, so the chart reads left to right and ends at this result, which carries a heavier outline. Every node is a link to that result. Click elsewhere on the chart to enlarge it.
Sources
- Standard countable Boolean compactness argument; finite diagrams and canonical binary-tree branch (standard reference, not scraped)