absolute geometry

English

Etymology

From 1832; introduced by Hungarian mathematician János Bolyai (1802—1860).

Noun

absolute geometry (plural absolute geometries)

1. (geometry) The single (up to logical equivalence) geometry whose axiomatic system is equivalent to that of Euclidean geometry without the parallel postulate or any alternative.
   • 1993 [Princeton University Press], Donald M. Davis, The Nature and Power of Mathematics, 2004, Dover, page 85,

     Recall that absolute geometry is the set of statements that can be deduced from Euclid's first four postulates. Then existence of parallel lines is certainly a theorem of absolute geometry, while the question being addressed by most of the mathematicians discussed in this section is whether uniqueness of parallels is also a theorem of absolute geometry.

2. (geometry) Any geometry whose axiomatic system extends that of absolute geometry (in the singular sense) and neither assumes nor contradicts the parallel postulate.
   • 1970, J. F. Rigby, Axioms for Absolute Geometry, III, Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Vol. XXII, No. 1, Canadian Mathematical Congress, University of Toronto Press, page 185,

     A discussion of one-dimensional absolute geometries, with examples, will be given in a separate paper.

Synonyms

• (Euclidean geometry without the parallel postulate): neutral geometry

Translations

Euclidean geometry without the parallel postulate

• Japanese: 絶対幾何学
• Russian: абсолю́тная геоме́трия f (absoljútnaja geométrija)

See also

• parallel postulate
• triangle postulate

Further reading

• Foundations of geometry on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Euclidean geometry on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Non-Euclidean geometry on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Hyperbolic geometry on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Hilbert's axioms on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Parallel postulate on Wikipedia.Wikipedia