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TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-08-11
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Infinite Ramsey theorem on N: every finite colouring of [N]k has an infinite monochromatic set, in ZF

Statement

For every positive natural k and every colouring of [N]k by a nonempty finite colour set, there is an infinite monochromatic subset of N in the sense of Finite colourings of k-element subsets, monochromatic sets, and the arrow notations N→(s,t)2 and N→(r)ck and Finite, countably infinite, countable, uncountable. The construction uses natural recursion (The recursion theorem) and induction (The principle of mathematical induction) but no form of choice.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A positive natural k, a nonempty finite colour set C, and a colouring c:[N]k→C.

[L1]

Every finite colouring of N has an infinite colour class, in ZF (Every finite colouring of N has an infinite colour class, in ZF).

[L2]

Every nonempty subset of N has a least element (The well-ordering principle).

Proof

technique · induction
1.1

For k=1, [L1] is exactly the assertion. The one-colour case is immediate for every k.

baseL1
1.2

Assume the result for k and consider a colouring of (k+1)-subsets. Whenever the induction hypothesis produces an infinite homogeneous subset of a set of naturals, make one output canonical as follows. Among the k-subsets whose colours admit an infinite homogeneous set, choose the lexicographically least subset and use its colour. Then recursively choose the least next natural that extends the current finite prefix to some infinite homogeneous set of that colour. The candidate sets are nonempty, so [L2] and natural recursion define a unique increasing enumeration without ordering the arbitrary colour set and without choice.

ihL2construct
2.1

Set R0=N. Given the infinite reservoir Rn, let xn be its least element and transfer the colouring A↦c(A∪{xn}) on [Rn∖{xn}]k along that set's unique increasing enumeration from N. Apply the induction hypothesis and the canonical rule of step 1.2, then transfer back to obtain an infinite homogeneous reservoir Rn+1⊆Rn∖{xn}; let dn be its colour. Natural recursion performs this construction for all n.

step 1.2ihL2
3.1

Apply [L1] to n↦dn. Let j be the least index whose colour class is infinite, and put I={n:dn=dj}. If i0<⋯<ik lie in I, then xi1,…,xik∈Ri0+1 by nestedness, so c({xi0,…,xik})=di0=dj. Hence {xi:i∈I} is infinite and monochromatic.

step 2.1L1L2
4.1

The base and the induction step establish the theorem for every positive k, and every selection made in the construction was the least member of a nonempty subset of N.

step 1.1step 3.1discharge-induction∎

Depends on

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Sources