In this note, we show that the least fixed point of the Bellman operator in a certain set can be computed by value iteration whether or not the fixed point is the value function. As an application, we show one of the main results of Kamihigashi (2014, "Elementary results on solutions to the...

We study existence and uniqueness of a fixed point for the Bellman operator in deterministic dynamic programming. Without any topological assumption, we show that the Bellman operator has a unique fixed point in a restricted domain, that this fixed point is the value function, and that the value...

In this note, we discuss an order-theoretic approach to dynamic programming. In particular, we explain how order-theoretic fixed point theorems can be used to establish the existence of a fixed point of the Bellman operator, as well as why they are not sufficient to characterize the value...

We establish some elementary results on solutions to the Bellman equation without introducing any topological assumption. Under a small number of conditions, we show that the Bellman equation has a unique solution in a certain set, that this solution is the value function, and that the value...

We establish some elementary results on solutions to the Bellman equation without introducing any topological assumption. Under a small number of conditions, we show that the Bellman equation has a unique solution in a certain set, that this solution is the value function, and that the value...

This note studies a general nonstationary infinite-horizon optimization problem in discrete time. We allow the state space in each period to be an arbitrary set, and the return function in each period to be unbounded. We do not require discounting, and do not require the constraint...