The Theory of Singularities and its Applications (Lezione Fermiane)

In this book, which is based on lectures given in Pisa under the auspices of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, the distinguished mathematician Vladimir Arnold describes those singularities encountered in different branches of mathematics. He avoids giving difficult proofs of all the results in order to provide the reader with a concise and accessible overview of the many guises and areas in which singularities appear, such as geometry and optics; optimal control theory and algebraic geometry; reflection groups and dynamical systems and many more. This will be an excellent companion for final year undergraduates and graduates whose area of study brings them into contact with singularities.