Natural Numbers

🅟 Mar 19, 2026

  🅤 Jun 11, 2026

Definition 1.

The set of natural numbers $\N$ is defined as the smallest inductive set that contains $\empt$. See Finite Ordinal.

Definition 2.

The arithmetic on $\N$ is as defined for ordinals (see Ordinal Arithmetic), but without any concern for limit ordinals.

Definition 3.

As defined for ordinals, the following gives a well-order on $\N$:

\[n < m \enspace\lrimp\enspace n \in m.\]

Definition 4.

The set of positive natural numbers is

\[\N^+ = \N \setdif \{0\}.\]

Proposition 1.

$(\N, +, \leq)$ is a well-ordered abelian monoid with neutral element $0$.

Proposition 2.

$(\N^+, \cdot, \leq)$ is a well-ordered abelian monoid with neutral element $1$.