On the origin of set theory. II: From letters between Richard Dedekind and Georg Cantor (Q670725)

This paper is the second of two parts of a review of the early development of set theory in the correspondence of Cantor and Dedekind. In this final part, the author concentrates on the discussion between Cantor and Dedekind concerning the cardinality of areas in contrast to lines, beginning in 1874. Cantor had discovered a one-to-one mapping between the points of a plane figure and the points of a line. Dedekind then recognised that although Cantor's result was correct the mapping itself showed an inherent discontinuity. In fact, Brouwer was able to show in 1911 that a bijective and continuous mapping necessarily leaves the dimension constant. For Part I, see [the author, ibid. 73, No. 2, 74--80 (2018; Zbl 1410.01014)].