Debates about infinity in mathematics around 1890: The Cantor-Veronese controversy, its origins and its outcome (Q1608927)

This article was found among the papers left by Professor Laugwitz (1932-2000). About 100 years ago, the Cantor-Veronese controversy was followed with great interest in the mathematical community. It lasted for more than 20 years, and was concerned with ``actual infinity'' in mathematics. Cantor, who was supported by Peano and others, rejected the concept of infinitely small quantities. He therefore fought against the infinitely large and small numbers appearing in Veronese's geometry, as well as against the non-archimedian systems espoused by Thomae, du Bois-Reymond and Stolz. A positive consequence of the controversy was the distinction between Cantor's transfinite arithmetic and the theory of ordered algebraic structures. (Based in part on a summary by the author).