Uniqueness of linear extensions of partial orders (Q795070): Difference between revisions

\(A\leq B\) means the poset A is isomorphically embeddable into the poset B. A is said to be equivalent to B iff \(A\leq B\leq A\). A chain C is called indecomposable iff \(C\leq X\) or \(C\leq Y\) whenever \(X\cup Y=C\). The author gives a full characterization of a countable poset with finite width all linear extensions of which are equivalent to a finite sum of indecomposable chains. The paper is motivated by \textit{E. Szpilrajn}'s result [Fundam. Math. 16, 386-389 (1930; JFM 56.0843.02)] on the existence of linear extensions of each partial order. For the existence of a linear order on a set, see \textit{A. Mostowski} [ibid. 32, 201-252 (1939; Zbl 0022.12004)].