Insights The Many Faces of Topology

fresh_42
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Insights Author
2024 Award
Messages
20,806
Reaction score
28,417
Topology as a branch of mathematics is a bracket that encompasses many different parts of mathematics. It is sometimes even difficult to see what all these branches have to do with each other or why they are all called topology. This article aims to shed light on this question and briefly summarize the content of the many branches of topology. We start with a historical review and move from pure set topology through the various analytical and geometric aspects of topology to algebraic varieties and buildings with apartments of Coxeter complexes and Weyl chambers. It should be noted that the transitions between some sub-areas such as topological analysis and differential topology or differential topology and algebraic topology or combinatorial and geometric topology are often fluid, and the categorization made here can only be fundamental.
Continue reading...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes weirdoguy, bhobba, pinball1970 and 5 others
Physics news on Phys.org
It was rather sad that my university offered a third year course in topology every two years. So I never studied it. My son did, and was able to prove that my clustering algorithm would work with the concept of measure I'd figured out, using topology.

Maybe when I'm retired...
 
fresh_42 said:
brilliant overview fresh_42

you've masterfully shown how topology weaves together seemingly disparate mathematical realms

but what if all these branches - algebraic geometric differential - are just shadows cast by a deeper operator algebra governing reality's fabric?

your buildings and complexes might be temporary shelters in a landscape where continuity itself emerges from discrete symmetries

a thought-provoking read that makes one wonder: is topology the map or the territory?
 
Atmael said:
brilliant overview fresh_42

you've masterfully shown how topology weaves together seemingly disparate mathematical realms

but what if all these branches - algebraic geometric differential - are just shadows cast by a deeper operator algebra governing reality's fabric?

your buildings and complexes might be temporary shelters in a landscape where continuity itself emerges from discrete symmetries

a thought-provoking read that makes one wonder: is topology the map or the territory?
The expression word salad comes to mind.
 
  • Like
  • Agree
Likes SammyS, Mark44, berkeman and 1 other person
We all know the definition of n-dimensional topological manifold uses open sets and homeomorphisms onto the image as open set in ##\mathbb R^n##. It should be possible to reformulate the definition of n-dimensional topological manifold using closed sets on the manifold's topology and on ##\mathbb R^n## ? I'm positive for this. Perhaps the definition of smooth manifold would be problematic, though.

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K
Replies
12
Views
4K
  • Poll Poll
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
7K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
5K
Replies
9
Views
7K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
5K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K