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On N\mathbb{N} the order is membership: m<n    mnm < n \iff m \in n

Statement

Let N=ω\mathbb{N} = \omega be the von Neumann naturals, with 0=0 = \varnothing and σ(n)=n{n}\sigma(n) = n \cup \{n\} (The natural numbers N\mathbb{N} (von Neumann)), and let \le and << be the order defined additively by mn    kN (m+k=n)m \le n \iff \exists k \in \mathbb{N}\ (m + k = n) and m<n    (mnm < n \iff (m \le n and mn)m \ne n) (Order on the natural numbers). Then N\mathbb{N} is a transitive set: every element of a natural number is itself a natural number. Moreover, for all m,nNm, n \in \mathbb{N}:

  1. m<n    mnm < n \iff m \in n;
  2. mn    mnm \le n \iff m \subseteq n;
  3. n<σ(n)n < \sigma(n), and m<σ(n)    mnm < \sigma(n) \iff m \le n;
  4. 0n0 \le n, and 0n0 \in n whenever n0n \ne 0.

Consequently n={mN:m<n}n = \{\, m \in \mathbb{N} : m < n \,\} for every nn: a natural number is exactly the set of the naturals below it.

Why this is proved here. Order on the natural numbers defines the order additively and records the identification with membership only as an orienting remark, without proof. The countability arguments on this page use that identification as a working fact, so it is established here, from the additive order and induction alone. Nothing below uses ordinals or any later material.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: N=ω\mathbb{N} = \omega with 0=0 = \varnothing and σ(n)=n{n}\sigma(n) = n \cup \{n\} (The natural numbers N\mathbb{N} (von Neumann)); mn    kN (m+k=n)m \le n \iff \exists k \in \mathbb{N}\ (m + k = n) and m<n    (mn and mn)m < n \iff (m \le n \text{ and } m \ne n) (Order on the natural numbers). Note that << is irreflexive by this definition alone, since m<mm < m would require mmm \ne m.

[L1]

Induction: if P(0)P(0) holds and P(n)P(n) implies P(σ(n))P(\sigma(n)) for every nNn \in \mathbb{N}, then P(n)P(n) holds for every nNn \in \mathbb{N} (The principle of mathematical induction).

[L2]

Addition: m+0=mm + 0 = m and m+σ(k)=σ(m+k)m + \sigma(k) = \sigma(m + k) (Addition of natural numbers); and 0+n=n0 + n = n for every nn (Left identity for addition).

[L3]

\le is a linear order on N\mathbb{N}: reflexive, antisymmetric, transitive and total (\le is a linear order on N\mathbb{N}); and exactly one of m<nm < n, m=nm = n, n<mn < m holds, so the failure of mnm \le n is exactly n<mn < m (Trichotomy of the order on N\mathbb{N}).

[L4]

Discreteness: m<n    σ(m)nm < n \iff \sigma(m) \le n (Discreteness: σ(n)\sigma(n) is the immediate successor).

[L5]

Every natural number is a transitive set and satisfies nnn \notin n (Every natural number is a transitive set and is not a member of itself).

[L6]

nσ(n)n \ne \sigma(n) for every nNn \in \mathbb{N} (No natural number equals its own successor).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

N\mathbb{N} is a transitive set. Let P(n)P(n) be "nNn \subseteq \mathbb{N}". P(0)P(0) holds because 0=0 = \varnothing has no elements. If nNn \subseteq \mathbb{N} then, since nn is itself an element of N\mathbb{N}, the set σ(n)=n{n}\sigma(n) = n \cup \{n\} is also a subset of N\mathbb{N}, so P(σ(n))P(\sigma(n)) holds. By induction nNn \subseteq \mathbb{N} for every nNn \in \mathbb{N}, which is the transitivity of N\mathbb{N}.

givenL1
1.2

For every nNn \in \mathbb{N} one has nσ(n)n \in \sigma(n) and n<σ(n)n < \sigma(n). Indeed nn{n}=σ(n)n \in n \cup \{n\} = \sigma(n) directly; and taking k=σ(0)k = \sigma(0) gives n+σ(0)=σ(n+0)=σ(n)n + \sigma(0) = \sigma(n + 0) = \sigma(n), so nσ(n)n \le \sigma(n), while nσ(n)n \ne \sigma(n), whence n<σ(n)n < \sigma(n).

givenL2L6
1.3

Mixed transitivity, in both directions. (i) If mnm \le n and n<pn < p then m<pm < p: transitivity of \le gives mpm \le p; if m=pm = p then pnp \le n, and npn \le p holds because n<pn < p, so antisymmetry gives n=pn = p, contradicting npn \ne p. Hence mpm \ne p and m<pm < p. (ii) If m<nm < n and npn \le p then m<pm < p: transitivity of \le again gives mpm \le p; if m=pm = p then np=mn \le p = m, and mnm \le n holds because m<nm < n, so antisymmetry gives m=nm = n, contradicting mnm \ne n. Hence mpm \ne p and m<pm < p.

givenL3
1.4

No natural number satisfies m<0m < 0. For every mm one has 0+m=m0 + m = m, so 0m0 \le m; if also m0m \le 0 then antisymmetry gives m=0m = 0, and m<0m < 0 additionally demands m0m \ne 0.

givenL2L3
2.1

For all m,nNm, n \in \mathbb{N}: m<σ(n)    mnm < \sigma(n) \iff m \le n. If mnm \le n then, with n<σ(n)n < \sigma(n) from step 1.2, step 1.3(i) gives m<σ(n)m < \sigma(n). Conversely assume m<σ(n)m < \sigma(n) and suppose mnm \le n fails; then n<mn < m by trichotomy, so σ(n)m\sigma(n) \le m by discreteness, and step 1.3(i) applied to σ(n)m\sigma(n) \le m and m<σ(n)m < \sigma(n) gives σ(n)<σ(n)\sigma(n) < \sigma(n), which irreflexivity forbids. Hence mnm \le n.

step 1.2step 1.3givenL3L4
2.2

Membership implies order: for every nNn \in \mathbb{N}, every mnm \in n satisfies m<nm < n. Let P(n)P(n) be that statement; P(0)P(0) is vacuous since 0=0 = \varnothing. Assume P(n)P(n) and let mσ(n)=n{n}m \in \sigma(n) = n \cup \{n\}. If mnm \in n then m<nm < n by P(n)P(n), and n<σ(n)n < \sigma(n) by step 1.2, so m<σ(n)m < \sigma(n) by step 1.3(i), whose hypothesis mnm \le n follows from m<nm < n. If m=nm = n then m<σ(n)m < \sigma(n) by step 1.2. So P(σ(n))P(\sigma(n)) holds, and by induction P(n)P(n) holds for every nn; the elements mm involved are natural numbers by step 1.1, so the statement is about N\mathbb{N} throughout.

step 1.1step 1.2step 1.3givenL1
3.1

Order implies membership: for every nNn \in \mathbb{N}, every mNm \in \mathbb{N} with m<nm < n satisfies mnm \in n. Let Q(n)Q(n) be that statement; Q(0)Q(0) holds vacuously by step 1.4. Assume Q(n)Q(n) and let m<σ(n)m < \sigma(n). By step 2.1, mnm \le n, that is m<nm < n or m=nm = n. In the first case mnm \in n by Q(n)Q(n); in the second m{n}m \in \{n\}. Either way mn{n}=σ(n)m \in n \cup \{n\} = \sigma(n), so Q(σ(n))Q(\sigma(n)) holds, and by induction Q(n)Q(n) holds for every nn.

step 1.4step 2.1givenL1
4.1

Steps 2.2 and 3.1 together give m<n    mnm < n \iff m \in n for all m,nNm, n \in \mathbb{N}, which is claim 1; and since every element of nn is a natural number by step 1.1, this says exactly n={mN:m<n}n = \{\, m \in \mathbb{N} : m < n \,\}.

step 1.1step 2.2step 3.1
5.1

If mnm \le n then mnm \subseteq n: let xmx \in m; then xNx \in \mathbb{N} by step 1.1 and x<mx < m by step 4.1, so x<nx < n by step 1.3(ii) applied to x<mx < m and mnm \le n, whence xnx \in n by step 4.1.

step 1.1step 1.3step 4.1
5.2

If mnm \subseteq n then mnm \le n: suppose mnm \le n fails; then n<mn < m by trichotomy, so nmn \in m by step 4.1, and mnm \subseteq n would give nnn \in n, which is impossible. Hence mnm \le n.

step 4.1L3L5
5.3

For every nNn \in \mathbb{N} one has 0n0 \le n by step 1.4; if in addition n0n \ne 0 then 0<n0 < n, hence 0n0 \in n by step 4.1.

step 1.4step 4.1given
6.1

The transitivity of N\mathbb{N} is step 1.1, claim 1 is step 4.1, claim 2 is steps 5.1 and 5.2 together, claim 3 is steps 1.2 and 2.1, and claim 4 is step 5.3; the description n={mN:m<n}n = \{\, m \in \mathbb{N} : m < n \,\} is part of step 4.1.

step 1.1step 1.2step 2.1step 4.1step 5.1step 5.2step 5.3

Remarks

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Direct dependencies and their dependencies through the next three levels: 30 results over 15 levels. An arrow runs from a result to what uses it, and this result sits at the bottom with a heavier outline. Click the chart to enlarge it.

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