Topology Defined by Closed Sets
Theorem
Let $X$ be any set and let $\vartheta$ be a collection of subsets of $X$.
Then $\vartheta$ is a topology on $X$ iff:
- $(1): \quad$ Any intersection of arbitrarily many closed sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$ is a closed set of $X$ under $\vartheta$
- $(2): \quad$ The union of any finite number of closed sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$ is a closed set of $X$ under $\vartheta$
- $(3): \quad X$ and $\varnothing$ are both closed sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$.
Proof
From the definition, if $V$ is a closed set of $X$, then $X \setminus V$ is an open set of $X$.
Let $\mathbb V$ be any arbitrary set of closed sets of $X$.
Then by De Morgan's Laws, we have:
- $\displaystyle X \setminus \bigcap \mathbb V = \bigcup_{V \in \mathbb V} \left({X \setminus V}\right)$
First, let $\vartheta$ be a topology on $X$.
We have that:
- Intersection of Closed Sets is Closed
- Finite Union of Closed Sets is Closed
- By Open and Closed Sets in a Topological Space, $\varnothing$ and $X$ are both closed in $X$.
Thus the properties as listed above hold.
$\Box$
Now, suppose the properties:
- $(1): \quad$ Any intersection of arbitrarily many closed sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$ is a closed set of $X$ under $\vartheta$
- $(2): \quad$ The union of any finite number of closed sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$ is a closed set of $X$ under $\vartheta$
- $(3): \quad X$ and $\varnothing$ are both closed sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$.
all hold.
That means $\displaystyle \bigcap \mathbb V$ is closed.
So $\displaystyle X \setminus \bigcap \mathbb V = \bigcup_{V \in \mathbb V} \left({X \setminus V}\right)$ is open.
Thus we have that the union of arbitrarily many open sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$ is an open set of $X$ under $\vartheta$.
Similarly we deduce that the intersection of any finite number of open sets of $X$ under $\vartheta$ is an open set of $X$ under $\vartheta$.
And of course by Open and Closed Sets in a Topological Space, $\varnothing$ and $X$ are both open in $X$.
So $\vartheta$ is a topology on $X$.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- Steven A. Gaal: Point Set Topology (1964)... (previous)... (next): $\S 1.1$: Theorem $2$
- Lynn Arthur Steen and J. Arthur Seebach, Jr.: Counterexamples in Topology (1970)... (previous)... (next): $\text{I}: \ \S 1$