A Banach algebra with a unique A Banach algebra with a unique C*-involution.

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Every C*-algebra has this property. Indeed if A is a untial Banach algebra which is C*-algebra with respect to involutions * and #, then if x = x* and f be a state on A (i.e., by [K&R1, Theorem 4.3.2] is a bounded linear functional satisfying ||f|| = f(1) = 1) then, f(x) = [`(f(x*))] = [`f(x)], so that f(i(x-x#)) = i(f(x)-[`f(x)]) = 0. Therefore, by [K&R1, Proposition 4.3.3] sp(i(x-x#)) = {0}. Hence i(x-x#) = 0, by [K&R1, Proposition 4.1.1.(i)]. So x# = x = x*. For an arbitrary element x with the real and imaginary parts x1 and x2, we have x* = x1-ix2 = x#. ( If A doesn't have a unit, it is enough to consider its unitization).

Ref.
[K&R1] R.V. Kadilon, J.R. Ringrase, fundamentals of the theory of operator algebras (I), Acad. Press, 1983.


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On 22 Feb 2001, 00:18.