I'm having trouble following this proof about the syntax of first-order logic. When $A$ and $B$ are expressions, we say that $B$ is an initial segment of $A$ if and only if $A$ can be obtained by concatenating some (possibly no) symbols to the (right-hand) end of $B$. For example:
$$\neg$$
is an initial segment of $$ \neg \neg A$$
Now the inductive hypothesis is that for some arbitrary $A$ every sentence shorter than $A$ has this property. Then we reason by cases. The atomic case is straightforward, but the proof lost me on the case for negation. It says:
Say that $A$ is $\neg B$ for some sentence $B$. Let $A^*$ be any sentence which is an initial segment of $A$. So $A^*$ is $\neg B^*$, for some sentence $B^*$. Evidently, $B^*$ is an initial segment of $B$. But $B$ and $B^*$ are both sentences that are shorter than $A$; so by the induction hypothesis, $B^*$ must just be $B$ itself. Hence $A^*$ is $A$ itself, and so $A$ has the induction property.
This proof-segment is quite quick and compressed, and I'm not seeing the moves that it presents as obvious.
First of all:
Why is $B^*$ 'evidently' an initial segment of $B$? After all, $B$ and $B^*$ could be anything, string of conjunctions, conditionals, whatever? The author treats this as an obvious step, but I don't see it.
Second:
How could $B^*$ not be $B$ when we have said that $A$ is $\neg B$ and $ \neg B^*$ is an initial segment of $A$?
Any help would be much appreciated.