Is there a way to prove that any subring $R$ of the polynomial ring over a field $k$ such that $k\subset R$ is Noetherian without appealing to integral extensions, Eakin-Nagata, etc.?
The reason I ask is because I found this as an exercise 15.1.9 in Dummit and Foote, which well precedes any discussion of integral extensions.
It says to show that if $y\in R\setminus k$, then $k[x]$ is f.g. as a $k[y]$-module. Why is that? Since $k[y]$ is Noetherian, $k[x]$ is a Noetherian $k[y]$-module, but how does this show $R$ is Noetherian?