Good books for learning topology

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the usefulness of topology in physics and recommendations for books that facilitate learning topology. Participants express concerns about the abstract nature of definitions in textbooks and seek more accessible resources.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the utility of topology in physics and requests book recommendations that provide concrete examples.
  • Another participant asserts that topology is essential for modern theoretical physics and suggests exploring Jon Baez's website for relevant materials.
  • A suggestion is made to consider Sidney Morris' "Topology without tears," which is available for free online.
  • Multiple participants recommend Munkres' topology book, noting its clarity and value despite its cost, while also suggesting checking local university libraries for additional resources.
  • One participant mentions that Royden's book is beneficial but emphasizes the importance of engaging with the exercises to fully grasp the material.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of topology in physics and share various book recommendations. However, there is no consensus on which book is the best or most accessible, reflecting differing preferences and experiences.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express that the definitions in topology textbooks can be overly abstract, indicating a potential limitation in how these concepts are presented. The discussion does not resolve the varying opinions on the best resources for learning topology.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in the intersection of topology and physics, as well as those seeking accessible learning materials in topology.

Ed Quanta
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How useful is topology for physics? And what are soome good books for learning topology. I find a lot of the definitions in textbooks way too abstract and not giving examples of the topological spaces they are defining. Drop some titles if you have a moment.
 
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For modern theoretical physics it appears indispensible. Look at Jon Baez's website to see some stuff that might interest you.

www.math.ucr.edu

thence faculty > baez > home page and browse the back issues of this week's finds etc.

if you want to throw yourself in at the deep end then I can suggest other stuff but i think it would be totally inappropriate at this stage.
 
You could take a look at Sidney Morris' "Topology without tears", you can get it for free at his website http://uob-community.ballarat.edu.au/~smorris/topology.htm .
 
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Munkres is good. It was quite pricy, but well worth the cost, when I bought it. You might try a local university library to look at topolgy books.
 
NateTG said:
Munkres is good. It was quite pricy, but well worth the cost, when I bought it. You might try a local university library to look at topolgy books.
^^^

munkres is very clear. other books such as royden are good but only if you do the exercises (he gives you very little...you basically learn everything from the problems). like nate said, i would recommend you go to the library and get a few different top books. the more different sources the easier it is to understand.
 

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