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Worlds Out of Nothing is the first book to provide a course on the history of geometry in the 19th century. Based on the latest historical research, the book is aimed primarily at undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics but will also appeal to the reader with a general interest in the history of mathematics. Emphasis is placed on understanding the historical significance of the new mathematics: Why was it done? How - if at all - was it appreciated? What new questions did it generate? Topics covered in the first part of the book are projective geometry, especially the concept of duality, and non-Euclidean geometry. The book then moves on to the study of the singular points of algebraic curves (Plücker's equations) and their role in resolving a paradox in the theory of duality; to Riemann's work on differential geometry; and to Beltrami's role in successfully establishing non-Euclidean geometry as a rigorous mathematical subject. The final part of the book considers how projective geometry, as exemplified by Klein's Erlangen Program, rose to prominence, and looks at Poincaré's ideas about non-Euclidean geometry and their physical and philosophical significance. It then concludes with discussions on geometry and formalism, examining the Italian contribution and Hilbert's Foundations of Geometry; geometry and physics, with a look at some of Einstein's ideas; and geometry and truth. Three chapters are devoted to writing and assessing work in the history of mathematics, with examples of sample questions in the subject, advice on how to write essays, and comments on what instructors should be looking for.

Mathematics. --- History of Mathematics. --- Geometry. --- Mathematics_$xHistory. --- Mathématiques --- Géométrie --- Histoire des mathematiques --- Geometrie --- Geometry --- History

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Both classical geometry and modern differential geometry have been active subjects of research throughout the 20th century and lie at the heart of many recent advances in mathematics and physics. The underlying motivating concept for the present book is that it offers readers the elements of a modern geometric culture by means of a whole series of visually appealing unsolved (or recently solved) problems that require the creation of concepts and tools of varying abstraction. Starting with such natural, classical objects as lines, planes, circles, spheres, polygons, polyhedra, curves, surfaces, convex sets, etc., crucial ideas and above all abstract concepts needed for attaining the results are elucidated. These are conceptual notions, each built "above" the preceding and permitting an increase in abstraction, represented metaphorically by Jacob's ladder with its rungs: the 'ladder' in the Old Testament, that angels ascended and descended... In all this, the aim of the book is to demonstrate to readers the unceasingly renewed spirit of geometry and that even so-called "elementary" geometry is very much alive and at the very heart of the work of numerous contemporary mathematicians. It is also shown that there are innumerable paths yet to be explored and concepts to be created. The book is visually rich and inviting, so that readers may open it at random places and find much pleasure throughout according their own intuitions and inclinations. Marcel Berger is the author of numerous successful books on geometry, this book once again is addressed to all students and teachers of mathematics with an affinity for geometry.

Mathematics. --- Geometry. --- History of Mathematics. --- Convex and Discrete Geometry. --- Differential Geometry. --- Combinatorics. --- Dynamical Systems and Ergodic Theory. --- Differentiable dynamical systems. --- Discrete groups. --- Global differential geometry. --- Mathematics_$xHistory. --- Mathématiques --- Dynamique différentiable --- Géométrie --- Groupes discrets --- Géométrie différentielle globale --- 514 --- Geometry --- 514 Geometry --- Geometry, Differential --- Differential geometry