Non-Desarguian geometries and the foundations of geometry from David Hilbert to Ruth Moufang (Q1888445): Difference between revisions

A very good presentation of the development of non-Desarguesian geometry starting with Hilbert's Chapter V of \textit{Grundlagen der Geometrie} and ending with Moufang's research in the 1930s. Moulton planes, finite non-Desarguesian planes, as well as the work of Max Dehn complete the picture. Biographical notes of the mathematicians involved precede the presentation of their work. The reviewer found only one somewhat misleading remark, namely on p.\ 328, that Wagner answered in 1937 a question posed by Dehn in 1922. Wagner's paper contains only a partial answer. The complete answer was provided by \textit{S. A. Amitsur} [J. Algebra 3, 304--359 (1966; Zbl 0203.04003)].