Topology and Geometry: 139 (Graduate Texts in Mathematics, 139) - Hardcover

Bredon, Glen E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0387979263 ISBN 13: 9780387979267

Publisher: Springer, 1993

Synopsis

The golden age of mathematics-that was not the age of Euclid, it is ours. C. J. KEYSER This time of writing is the hundredth anniversary of the publication (1892) of Poincare's first note on topology, which arguably marks the beginning of the subject of algebraic, or "combinatorial," topology. There was earlier scattered work by Euler, Listing (who coined the word "topology"), Mobius and his band, Riemann, Klein, and Betti. Indeed, even as early as 1679, Leibniz indicated the desirability of creating a geometry of the topological type. The establishment of topology (or "analysis situs" as it was often called at the time) as a coherent theory, however, belongs to Poincare. Curiously, the beginning of general topology, also called "point set topology," dates fourteen years later when Frechet published the first abstract treatment of the subject in 1906. Since the beginning of time, or at least the era of Archimedes, smooth manifolds (curves, surfaces, mechanical configurations, the universe) have been a central focus in mathematics. They have always been at the core of interest in topology. After the seminal work of Milnor, Smale, and many others, in the last half of this century, the topological aspects of smooth manifolds, as distinct from the differential geometric aspects, became a subject in its own right.

About this title

Review

G.E. Bredon

Topology and Geometry

"An interesting and original graduate text in topology and geometry. The topics covered include . . . general topology, smooth manifolds, homology and homotopy groups, duality, cohomology and products . . . a good lecturer can use this text to create a fine course at the appropriate level . . . There are various innovative things, which are accessible but not traditionally covered. A beginning graduate student can use this text to learn a great deal of mathematics."―MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS

Synopsis

This book is intended as a textbook for a first-year graduate course on algebraic topology, with as strong flavoring in smooth manifold theory. Starting with general topology, it discusses differentiable manifolds, cohomology, products and duality, the fundamental group, homology theory, and homotopy theory. It covers most of the topics all topologists will want students to see, including surfaces, Lie groups and fibre bundle theory. With a thoroughly modern point of view, it is the first truly new textbook in topology since Spanier, almost 25 years ago. Although the book is comprehensive, there is no attempt made to present the material in excessive generality, except where generality improves the efficiency and clarity of the presentation.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387979263
• ISBN 13: 9780387979267
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 571