TITLE: Stuck with proof for $\forall A\forall B(\mathcal{P}(A)\cup\mathcal{P}(B)=\mathcal{P}(A\cup B)\rightarrow A\subseteq B \vee B\subseteq A)$
QUESTION [9 upvotes]: I came to point where I suppose for case 1 that $A\subseteq B$ and conclusion is trivial. For case 2 I suppose that $A\not\subseteq B$ and try to prove $B\subseteq A$, but that gets me nowhere. Any pointers here are most welcome.

REPLY [2 votes]: Translating to the element level using $$V \in P(X) \;\equiv\; V \subseteq X$$ as the definition of $\;P(\cdot)\;$, this can be proved using a mostly straightforward calculation:
\begin{align}
& P(A) \cup P(B) \;=\; P(A \cup B) \\
\equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"set extensionality; in left hand side expand definition of $\;\cup\;$"} \\
& \langle \forall V :: V \in P(A) \;\lor\; V \in P(B) \;\;\equiv\;\; V \in P(A \cup B) \rangle \\
\equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"definition of $\;P(\cdot)\;$, three times"} \\
& \langle \forall V :: V \subseteq A \;\lor\; V \subseteq B \;\;\equiv\;\; V \subseteq A \cup B \rangle \\
\Rightarrow & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"choose $\;V := A \cup B\;$} \\
& \;\;\;\;\;\phantom{"}\text{-- choosing a specific $\;V\;$ seems the best direction, given that we} \\
& \;\;\;\;\;\phantom{"}\text{are asked to prove a forward implication; and the other obvious} \\
& \;\;\;\;\;\phantom{"}\text{choices, $\;V := A\;$ and $\;V := B\;$, lead to set-theoretic tautologies"} \\
& A \cup B \subseteq A \;\lor\; A \cup B \subseteq B \;\;\equiv\;\; A \cup B \subseteq A \cup B \\
\equiv & \;\;\;\;\;\text{"set theory: simplify using $\;X \cup Y \subseteq X \;\equiv\; Y \subseteq X\;$, twice, and $\;Z \subseteq Z\;$"} \\
& B \subseteq A \;\lor\; A \subseteq B \\
\end{align}