H.

Tychonoff via well-ordering,

We present a proof of the Tychonoff theorem that uses the well-ordering

theorem rather than Zorn's lemma.

Lemma H.1.

A be a collection of basis elements for the topology

Let

of the product space

If

of

yA

It follows the outline of Exercise 5 of 37.

X X Y,

such that no finite subcollection of A

is compact, there is a point

x4X

covers

x Y.

such that no finite subcollection

Ex}x Y.

covers the slice

Proof.Suppose there is no such point

one can choose finitely many elements of

x.

Then, given a point

t}hat cover the slice

of

X,

x>x Y.

Then, as in the proof of the tube lemma, one can find a neighborhood
such that these elements of A
can cover

U of
x

is compact, we

U x Y. Because X
x

bl finitely many such neighborhoods U ; then all of

cover

Theorem
Proof.

H,2.
Let

Products of compact spaces are compact.

IXT(J
be
a family of compact spaces; let X

rTJ x

X=
and let

XXY

can be covered by finitely many elements of

: X-+XL

be their

product,

be the projection map.

Well-order J in such a way that

it has a largest element.

Step 1. Le!t
Xi

be an element of

has been specified for all

supspace of

Then for each

o(<A

Define

Note that as

Z3

Pi

of

to be the following

, then tA

predecessor.

for

li(

) =

Yd

Pi

for

X:

i <

shrinks, and that

equals the

finite collection of basis elements for

actually covers the larger space

Y

to be the following subspace of

hats an immediate predecessor in

Tn-en

YL for all k</3.

,4is a

We show that if
If

Y.

, increases, the space

intersection of the spaces

(X) =

W2

define
Y

ar;d suppose that a point

X:

covers

i<

J;

J, let o

Y&,

for some

t.at

be that immediate

, and the result is trivial.

H.2.

of

then

Iri(A) /.Xi;
all

Then

.A,

in

and

We show that

Then

of

covers

Since

Given

T i( Y)

= F

i
( x)

we know that

for

TTi(x)

Assume that

i>
A

of

A..

x.

for all

Ti(A)
i

TTi(x) E r(A)
i.

and for

(A)

because in this case

X.

We show that

for

We also

And finally, for

<d

7(A) = Xi.

LA is a collection-dfbasis elements for

We shall choose points

A

element of

~ J,
J,

Pi

for all

can be finitely covered by

the space

finitely covered by %A,

i,

siuch

LA itself does not

such that none of the spaces

A.

When oC i: the largest

is a one-point space.

Yj

Since it cannot be

it is not contained in any element of

To begin, let o/ be the smallest element of

XTFi.
X

Define a

The theorem follows.

X.

Snce

ai;d

we know that TT(y)

that no finite subcollection covers

for

for

lies in some element

also contains

A.

cit

Yke ,

for

so that

LA

7f

i (x) = 7T()

dover

xY~ , we show that it lies

i <,

for

= Pi

know that

Step 2.

is a basis element, we need only to show that

i J.

TTi()

We show this element of

all

<

by setting

belongs to

Since

< i

is an index such that

4. We know that 7i(x) = i

in an element of

for

be the largest element of this union.

whenever

X.

JA,

iA.

is an element of

point

let ol

is also finite;

for which

The union of the sets

is a finite set.

JA

and Ti.(A)

i<Cd3,

i <3

denote the set of those indices

JA

let

For each eement

has no immediate predecessor.

Now suppose that

and since

the preceding lemma implies that there is a point

space

cannot be finitely covered by

A.

We write

in the form

Xi

c~annot be finitely covered by

Y4

J.

A .

i/

Xi1p

p. e XC

is compact,

sch that the

H.3

Now suppose
the space

is defined for all

cannot be finitely

LA

, Step 1 implies that

zB
Because
such that

for

d </

P,

such that for each V4 ,

A4

We seek to define the point

, can be finitely covered

cannot be finitely covered by

4A.

Let

in the form

Zp

us write

i<

overed by

Since none of the spaces

pi.
by

Yk

Pi

= iC26tpi X X X i>3 i.
p

is compact , the lemma tells us there is a point

Xp

he space

cannot be finitely covered by

Tthis is just the space

By the general principle of recursive definition (see

defined for all

i.

.72),

Pi

is

Note of course that we have used the axiom of choice

repeatedly to choose the points

Pi.