Measure Theory – Why Require a Function to Be Measurable for Lebesgue Integral?

lebesgue-integralmeasurable-functionsmeasure-theorysimple-functions

Let be $f : X \to [0; + \infty)$ measurable.

We define the Lebesgue integral for $f$ as follow: $$ \int_X f(x) \ d\lambda(x) := sup \{ \ \int_X s(x) \ d\lambda(x) : s(x) \le f(x) \ \forall x \in X \ \} $$

where s(x) is a non-negative simple function.

I cannot understand why do we require $f$ to be measurable.

My thought is: we don't really need f to be measurable (I never mentioned it in the definition of the integral, I only said that $f(x)$ should be always not-smaller than any simple function $s(x)$). We never use it in the definition of the Lebesgue Integral. What we really need and indeed use is that the any simple function $s(x)$ be measurable (otherwise I cannot integrate it).

Now, my guess is: do we require $f(x)$ to be measureable in order to be sure that all its approximation (i.e. the simple function) are indeed measurable?

If I am wrong, where exactly in the definition of Lebesge Integral do we use the measurability of $f(x)$?

Thank you so much to you all, I really appreciate it.

Best Answer

Without measurability, that definition could be called the lower Lebesgue integral $\underline{\int} f \,d\lambda$. Unfortunately, it lacks desirable properties. For example $$ \underline{\int}(f+g)\;d\;\lambda = \underline{\int}f\;d\;\lambda + \underline{\int}g\;d\;\lambda $$ may easily fail.
If $E$ is a Bernstein set in $[0,1]$, let $f = \mathbf1_E$ be its indicator function, and let $g = \mathbf1_{[0,1]\setminus E}$. Then $$ \underline{\int}(f+g)\;d\;\lambda = 1,\\ \underline{\int}f\;d\;\lambda = 0,\\ \underline{\int}g\;d\;\lambda = 0. $$