An introduction to fusion of strongly minimal sets: The geometry of fusions (Q1908816)

Some years ago, B. I. Zil'ber conjectured that given any strongly minimal structure \(M\), either algebraic dependence is trivial on \(M\), or \(M\) is biinterpretable with an algebraically closed field or a vector space over a skew field. \textit{E. Hrushovski} [Isr. J. Math. 79, No. 2-3, 129-151 (1992; Zbl 0773.12005)] refuted the conjecture by fusing an arbitrary pair of strongly minimal structures to make a third strongly minimal structure that interprets each of the constituent structures but is biinterpretable with neither of them. Fusions themselves are investigated by the present author; the paper is the first in a planned series. A specific goal is to delineate which properties of fusions are purely geometric, i.e. can be expressed just in the language of dependence. Notions of a free fusion, a free generating set and a stripped free generating set are given and investigated. Their properties are similar to that of free algebra etc.