2.2 Preimages

Definition 2.2.1 (Preimage Function).label Let $X, Y$ be sets and $P: 2^{Y} \to 2^{X}$, then $P$ is a preimage function if

  1. (PF1)

    $P(\emptyset) = \emptyset$.

  2. (PF2)

    For each $\mathcal{S}\subset 2^{Y}$, $\bigcup_{S \in \mathcal{S}}P(S) = P\paren{\bigcup_{S \in \mathcal{S}}S}$.

  3. (PF3)

    For each $\mathcal{S}\subset 2^{Y}$, $\bigcap_{S \in \mathcal{S}}P(S) = P\paren{\bigcap_{S \in \mathcal{S}}}$.

and $P$ is total if

  1. (T)

    $P(Y) = X$.

Proposition 2.2.2.label Let $X$ and $Y$ be sets, then:

  1. (1)

    For any $f: X \to Y$, the mapping $S \mapsto f^{-1}(S)$ is a total preimage function.

  2. (2)

    For any total preimage function $P: 2^{Y} \to 2^{X}$, there exists a unique $f: X \to Y$ such that $P(S) = f^{-1}(S)$ for all $S \in 2^{Y}$.

Proof. (2): Let $x, y \in Y$ with $x \ne y$, then by (PF1) and (PF3),

\[P(\bracs{x}) \cap P(\bracs{y}) = P(\bracs{x}\cap \bracs{y}) = P(\emptyset) = \emptyset\]

By (T) and (PF2), $X = P(Y) = P\paren{\bigcup_{y \in Y}\bracs{y}}= \bigcup_{y \in Y}P(\bracs{y})$. Therefore $X = \bigsqcup_{y \in Y}P(\bracs{y})$.

Therefore for each $x \in X$, there exists a unique $f(x) \in Y$ such that $x \in P(f(x))$. The association $x \mapsto f(x)$ then is the unique desired function.$\square$

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