On the Theory of Primitive Rings

Abstract

In a recent paper2 we have called a ring 2 primitive if 2 contains a maximal right ideal a such that the quotient (a: W) = (0). The quotient (: 1) is defined to be the largest two-sided ideal of 21 that satisfies the condition 21(a: 21) C a. Thus if 21lias an identity, (a: 21) is the largest two-sided ideal of 21 contained in a. Primitive rings appear to play a role in the general structure theory of rings analogous to that played by simple rings in the Wedderburn-Artin theory. Primitive rings are also fundamental in general representation theory since it is known that a necessary and sufficient condition that a ring 21 be primitive is that 21 be isomorphic to an irreducible ring W of endomorphisms in a commutative group T. If 2 is irreducible in T and Zi is the division ring of endomorphisms commutative with the elements of A, then R is a dense ring of linear transformations in T regarded as a vector space over Z.3 We shall call 2 a left primitive ring if 2 contains a maximal left ideal a' such that the quotient (}': 21)l = (0). Here (s': 2) 1 is the largest two-sided ideal in 2 having the property (a': 21)1 21 C a'. Evidently, a ring is left primitive if and only if it is anti-isomorphic to an irreducible ring of endomorphisms. It is an open question whether or not a primitive ring is necessarily left primitive. This is indeed the case if 2 contains minimal ideals. In many other respects the theory of primitive rings that contain minimal ideals constitutes the most satisfactory part of the theory of primitive rings. An appropriate tool for studying rings of this type is a generalization of the duality theory previously used by Dieudonn6 in studying simple rings that possess minimal ideals.4 In this note we develop this generalization of Dieudonn6's results. We also investigate certain natural topologies that can be defined in any primitive ring.