On ``contour apparent'', ``courbe de contact'' and ramification curves: duality between a principle and a tool (Q6645657)

In this chapter, the main attention is given to the consideration of the development of investigations of duality and tangent lines.\N\NOne can note the following key content lines in the present overview:\N\NFocusing of the attention on the duality principle ``paradox'' (i.e., ``the mystery to the problem of the degree change between a curve and its dual''), which was solved by Julius Plücker in the 1830s. This includes a discussion on proofs, on a shift of terms (it is noted that the notion of polar curve of 1835 and of 1839 is different from this notion of 1830), and on ``surroundings'' of Plücker's solution of the duality ``paradox''.\N\NFocusing on the notion of ramification curves and its importance in the development of mathematical science, as well as on the fact that ``the investigation of complex surfaces and the associated ramification curves employed the duality principle mainly as a tool, which did not lead to any development of new theories''. In this study, the attention is also given to the consideration that ``Bobillier's research implicitly introduced ramification curves, but also how Gergonne rewrote Bobillier's research, marginalizing older results, such as those of Gaspard Monge''.\N\NThis chapter includes the following sections:\N\begin{itemize}\N\item A mathematical detour: what is a ramification curve?\N\N\item 1826--7: Étienne Bobillier and the implicit introduction of ramification curves.\N\N\item 1827--8: The explicit appearance of duality as a formal principle: Gergonne's rewriting of Bobillier's results.\N\N\item 1847--9, 1862, and an epilogue in 1937: Duality as a tool and the ramification curve of the cubic surface.\N\N\item Conclusion: The different interweaving of duality and ramification curve.\N\end{itemize}\N\NFor the entire collection see [Zbl 1544.01006].