How does he know that $f^{-1}$ is one-one? Doesn't he have to prove that? Or is he applying his first theorem in the chapter to $f$? That is $f$ is a function if and only if $f^{-1}$ is one-one?
EDIT: Probably a very stupid question, but can someone actually show me the case for $-f$? Or is Spivak simply saying that we can take it for granted (and I believe this because it make sense) and not actually try to prove $-f$ is increasing?


It seems to me you may retrieve the one-to-one property from a similar reasoning as the one used in the proof.
Suppose that $f^{-1}$ is not one-to-one. This means there exist $a < b$ such that $f^{-1}(a) = f^{-1}(b) = k$. Hence $f(k) = f(f^{-1}(a)) = a$ and $f(k) = f(f^{-1}(b)) = b$, that is $a = b$. But this can't be because we supposed $a < b$.
Hence $f^{-1}(a) > f^{-1}(b)$ or $f^{-1}(a) < f^{-1}(b)$, which one? See Spivak's proof.