Set with Choice Function is Well-Orderable

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Theorem

Let $S$ be a set.

Let there exist a choice function for $S$.

Then $S$ is well-orderable.

Proof

Let us define the notation:

$\map {\PP_{\ne \O} } S := \powerset S \setminus \set \O$

for the power set of $S$ without the empty set.

Let $C: \map {\PP_{\ne \O} } S \to S$ be a choice function for $S$.

Let $x \subseteq S$ be a subset of $S$.

From Subset is Element of Power Set we have:

$x \subseteq S \iff x \in \powerset S$

Let us define $g: \powerset S \to S$ as follows:

$\forall x \in \powerset S: \map g x := \begin {cases} x \cup \paren {\map C {S \setminus x} } & : x \ne S \\ S & : x = S \end {cases}$

where $S \setminus x$ denotes the difference between $S$ and $x$.

We note that when $x \ne S \iff S \setminus x \ne \O$, hence $\map C {S \setminus x}$ is always defined in the above.

Thus:

$\map g S = S$

and for an arbitrary proper subset $x$ of $S$, $\map g x$ adds to $x$ exactly $1$ element of $S$ which is not in $x$.

That is:

$g$ is a slowly progressing mapping

and:

$S$ is the unique fixed point of $g$.

Hence $S$ fulfils the assumptions of Set with Slowly Progressing Mapping on Power Set with Self as Fixed Point is Well-Orderable.

The result follows.

$\blacksquare$

Sources

• 2010: Raymond M. Smullyan and Melvin Fitting: Set Theory and the Continuum Problem (revised ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $4$: Superinduction, Well Ordering and Choice: Part $\text I$ -- Superinduction and Well Ordering: $\S 4$ Well ordering and choice: Theorem $4.7$