Non-continuous linear functionals on topological vector spaces (Q2461440)

Let \(X\) be a topological vector space. It is proved that if \(X\) has a Hamel basis that is not closed, then there exists a totally discontinuous linear functional on \(X\), and the space \(X\) then possesses a convex balanced absorbing subset with empty interior. Conversely, if all convex, balanced, absorbing subsets of \(X\) have nonempty interiors, then all linear functionals on \(X\) are continuous (and thus \(X\) is Hausdorff). The open question of the finite-dimensionality of \(X\) in the above setting remains.