Normality in terms of distances and contractions (Q1706345)

The authors investigate normality in the context of approach spaces with the aim of obtaining versions of Urysohn's Lemma, the Tietze extension theorem, and the Katětov-Tong insertion theorem. The latter states that on a normal space if \(f\) is upper semicontinuous, \(h\) is lower semicontinuous, and \(f\leq h\) then there is a continuous function \(g\) such that \(f\leq g\leq h\), see [\textit{M. Katětov}, Fundam. Math. 38, 85--91 (1951; Zbl 0045.25704)] and [\textit{H. Tong}, Duke Math. J. 19, 289--292 (1952; Zbl 0046.16203)]. The definition of normality in this paper corresponds to Lemmas 2 and 3 in Chapter 4 of \textit{J. L. Kelley}'s text [General topology. Reprint of the 1955 original published by van Nostrand. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications (2017; Zbl 1358.54001)] and makes the approach version of Urysohn's Lemma relatively straightforward. The proof of the insertion characterization is reminiscent of Tong's argument [loc. cit.]. The extension theorem is proved using the insertion theorem but with more work than in Tong's paper as the conditions on the maps under consideration are more restrictive than mere continuity.