Equivalence of Definitions of Kuratowski Closure Operator
Theorem
The following definitions of the concept of Kuratowski Closure Operator are equivalent:
Definition 1
Let $S$ be a set.
Let $\cl: \powerset S \to \powerset S$ be a mapping from the power set of $S$ to itself.
Then $\cl$ is a Kuratowski closure operator if and only if it satisfies the following Kuratowski closure axioms for all $A, B \subseteq S$:
\((1)\) | $:$ | \(\ds A \subseteq \map \cl A \) | $\cl$ is inflationary | ||||||
\((2)\) | $:$ | \(\ds \map \cl {\map \cl A} = \map \cl A \) | $\cl$ is idempotent | ||||||
\((3)\) | $:$ | \(\ds \map \cl {A \cup B} = \map \cl A \cup \map \cl B \) | $\cl$ preserves binary unions | ||||||
\((4)\) | $:$ | \(\ds \map \cl \O = \O \) |
Definition 2
Let $S$ be a set.
Let $\cl: \powerset S \to \powerset S$ be a mapping from the power set of $S$ to itself.
Then $\cl$ is a Kuratowski closure operator if and only if it satisfies the following axioms for all $A, B \subseteq X$:
\((1)\) | $:$ | $\cl$ is a closure operator | |||||||
\((2)\) | $:$ | $\map \cl {A \cup B} = \map \cl A \cup \map \cl B$ | $\cl$ preserves binary unions | ||||||
\((3)\) | $:$ | $\map \cl \O = \O$ |
Proof
Definition 2 implies Definition 1
A closure operator, by definition, is inflationary and idempotent.
Thus it follows immediately that Definition 2 implies Definition 1.
Definition 1 implies Definition 2
Let $X$ be a set.
Let $\cl$ be a Kuratowski closure operator on $X$ by Definition 1.
By definition of closure operator, it remains to be proved that $\cl$ is increasing.
Let $A \subseteq B \subseteq X$.
Then by Definition 1 and Union with Superset is Superset:
- $\map \cl B = \map \cl {A \cup B} = \map \cl A \cup \map \cl B$
- $\map \cl A \subseteq \map \cl A \cup \map \cl B = \map \cl B$
$\blacksquare$