On the map theorem (Q5931451)

This paper provides a concise introduction to the work of Spencer-Brown (Bohmeier Verlag and Spencer-Brown Publishing, 1997) on the four-color theorem. The work involves a reformulation of the coloring problem in terms of two-colored systems (called formations) of Jordan curves in the plane; the formations correspond to proper three-edge colorings of cubic plane graphs. Two results are key: (1) a parity lemma first proved by \textit{W. T. Tutte} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 50, 137-149 (1948; Zbl 0030.08102)] and later, independently, by Spencer-Brown; this leads to (2) the primality principle (a certain principle of irreducibility for formations is equivalent to the four-color theorem).