Cantor's Theorem

See Power Set for some background.

Cantor's Theorem

Let A be a set and let f:A→P(A). Then f is not onto.

Proof
Let f:A→P(A) be any map. We'll find some B⊆A such that B∉image(f), since that shows the opposite of being onto.

First note that ∀a∈A, either a∈f(a) or a∉f(a), but only one of these is true. Let B be:

B={a|a∉f(a)}⊆A

We claim that B∉image(f). Assume for contradiction that it was. Then ∃a∈A such that f(a)=B.

  1. If a∈B, then since B=f(a) then a∈f(a) which contradicts our construction of B that a∉f(a).
  2. Then a∉B right? Well then that would mean that a∈f(a)=B is a contradiction.
    No matter what we get a contradiction, so then our assumption was false. Then B∉image(f), so then f must be onto.
    ☐
    Let's apply this idea to N=A. Then Cantor's Theorem says that any function f:N→P(N) requires f be not onto (surjective). As a result, the N≁P(N) so then P(N) must be uncountable. We can show even that the following is true:
P(N)∼R.

Proof

☐