Topology, matter, and space. I: Topological notions in 19th-century natural philosophy (Q1385178)

This reasonably extensive and scholarly treatise examines the topological issues that emerged in the context of dynamical theory of physical phenomena, advocated in particular by British (Scottish) natural philosophers during the last third of the 19th century. It also discusses the related issues of large-scale topological structure of space. It seems that the first modern topological ideas started appearing in publications related to vortex motion in hydrodynamics. Initiated by Helmholtz who introduced the notion of simple connectivity (Listing and Riemann had topological ideas earlier, in different contexts) and picked up by Thomson and Maxwell (who looked for equations which describe knots and links) it found a most original contribution to topology in Tait who produced complete tables of alternating knots of up to ten crossings. The Helmholtz-Bertrand controversy and Crum Brown's contribution's related to graphical representations of chemical compounds are discussed in addition to a number of developments based mostly on intuitive reasoning connected to physical phenomena of the late 19th century natural philosophers. The author offers a basic and extended chronicle as well as the narrative on the subject to produce a valuable paper on a part of history of topology.