P. M. Cohn - Böcker

Fundamental to all areas of mathematics, algebra provides the cornerstone for the student's development. The concepts are often intuitive, but some can take years of study to fully absorb. For over twenty years, the author's classic three-volume set, Algebra, has been regarded by many as the most outstanding introductory work available. This work, Classic Algebra, combines a fully updated Volume 1 with the essential topics from Volumes 2 and 3, and provides a self-contained introduction to the subject.

Fundamental to all areas of mathematics, algebra provides the cornerstone for the student's development. The concepts are often intuitive, but some can take years of study to fully absorb. For over twenty years, the author's classic three-volume set, Algebra, has been regarded by many as the most outstanding introductory work available. This work, Classic Algebra, combines a fully updated Volume 1 with the essential topics from Volumes 2 and 3, and provides a self-contained introduction to the subject.

Non-commutative fields (also called skew fields or division rings) have not been studied as thoroughly as their commutative counterparts, and most accounts have hitherto been confined to division algebras - that is skew fields finite dimensional over their centre. Based on the author's LMS lecture note volume Skew Field Constructions, the present work offers a comprehensive account of skew fields. The axiomatic foundation, and a precise description of the embedding problem, is followed by an account of algebraic and topological construction methods, in particular, the author's general embedding theory is presented with full proofs, leading to the construction of skew fields. The powerful coproduct theorem of G. M. Bergman is proved here, as well as the properties of the matrix reduction functor, a useful but little-known construction providing a source of examples and counter-examples. The construction and basic properties of existentially closed skew fields are given, leading to an example of a model class with an infinite forcing companion which is not axiomatizable.

The theory of Lie groups rests on three pillars: analysis, topology and algebra. Correspondingly it is possible to distinguish several phases, overlapping in some degree, in its development. It also allows one to regard the subject from different points of view, and it is the algebraic standpoint which has been chosen in this tract as the most suitable one for a first introduction to the subject. The aim has been to develop the beginnings of the theory of Lie groups, especially the fundamental theorems of Lie relating the group to its infinitesimal generators (the Lie algebra); this account occupies the first five chapters. Next to Lie's theorems in importance come the basic properties of subgroups and homomorphisms, and they form the content of Chapter VI. The final chapter, on the universal covering group, could perhaps be most easily dispensed with, but, it is hoped, justifies its existence by bringing back into circulation Schreier's elegant method of constructing covering groups.

Non-commutative fields (also called skew fields or division rings) have not been studied as thoroughly as their commutative counterparts, and most accounts have hitherto been confined to division algebras - that is skew fields finite dimensional over their centre. Based on the author's LMS lecture note volume Skew Field Constructions, the present work offers a comprehensive account of skew fields. The axiomatic foundation, and a precise description of the embedding problem, is followed by an account of algebraic and topological construction methods, in particular, the author's general embedding theory is presented with full proofs, leading to the construction of skew fields. The powerful coproduct theorem of G. M. Bergman is proved here, as well as the properties of the matrix reduction functor, a useful but little-known construction providing a source of examples and counter-examples. The construction and basic properties of existentially closed skew fields are given, leading to an example of a model class with an infinite forcing companion which is not axiomatizable.

Proving that a polynomial ring in one variable over a field is a principal ideal domain can be done by means of the Euclidean algorithm, but this does not extend to more variables. However, if the variables are not allowed to commute, giving a free associative algebra, then there is a generalization, the weak algorithm, which can be used to prove that all one-sided ideals are free. This book presents the theory of free ideal rings (firs) in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on rings with a weak algorithm, exemplified by free associative algebras. There is also a full account of localization which is treated for general rings but the features arising in firs are given special attention. Each section has a number of exercises, including some open problems, and each chapter ends in a historical note.