Audun Holme - Böcker

This volume presents selected papers resulting from the meeting at Sundance on enumerative algebraic geometry. The papers are original research articles and concentrate on the underlying geometry of the subject.

This is a revised edition of the ?rst printing which appeared in 2002. The book is based on lectures at the University of Bergen, Norway.Over the years these lectures have covered many different aspects and facets of the wonderful ?eld of geometry. Consequently it has never been possible to give a full and ?nal account of geometry as such, at an undergraduatelevel: A carefully consideredselection has always been necessary. The present book constitutes the main central themes of these selections. One of the groups I am aiming at, is future teachers of mathematics. All too oftenthe textsdealingwith geometrywhichgo intothe syllabusforteacher-students present the material in ways which appear pedantic and formalistic, suppressing the very powerful and dynamic character of this old ?eld, which at the same time so young. Geometry is a ?eld of mathematical insight, research, history and source of artistic inspiration. And not least important, an integral part of our common cultural heritage.

This book is about modern algebraic geometry. The title A Royal Road to Algebraic Geometry is inspired by the famous anecdote about the king asking Euclid if there really existed no simpler way for learning geometry, than to read all of his work Elements. Euclid is said to have answered: “There is no royal road to geometry!” The book starts by explaining this enigmatic answer, the aim of the book being to argue that indeed, in some sense there is a royal road to algebraic geometry. From a point of departure in algebraic curves, the exposition moves on to the present shape of the field, culminating with Alexander Grothendieck’s theory of schemes. Contemporary homological tools are explained. The reader will follow a directed path leading up to the main elements of modern algebraic geometry. When the road is completed, the reader is empowered to start navigating in this immense field, and to open up the door to a wonderful field of research. The greatest scientific experience of a lifetime!

This is a revised edition of the ?rst printing which appeared in 2002. The book is based on lectures at the University of Bergen, Norway.Over the years these lectures have covered many different aspects and facets of the wonderful ?eld of geometry. Consequently it has never been possible to give a full and ?nal account of geometry as such, at an undergraduatelevel: A carefully consideredselection has always been necessary. The present book constitutes the main central themes of these selections. One of the groups I am aiming at, is future teachers of mathematics. All too oftenthe textsdealingwith geometrywhichgo intothe syllabusforteacher-students present the material in ways which appear pedantic and formalistic, suppressing the very powerful and dynamic character of this old ?eld, which at the same time so young. Geometry is a ?eld of mathematical insight, research, history and source of artistic inspiration. And not least important, an integral part of our common cultural heritage.