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    02 - Flaws in Euclid

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    Riemann Soliven
    The document discusses Euclid's axioms for geometry and their flaws. It provides Euclid's original five axioms, then discusses how they are insufficient to prove key theorems like the existence of points on a line. The document introduces Hilbert's reformulation of geometry axioms in the late 19th century to address issues with Euclid's system. It also discusses how axiom systems can be modeled using abstract concepts like points represented by tables and lines by chairs to demonstrate properties without relying on visual diagrams.

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    02 - Flaws in Euclid

    Uploaded by

    Riemann Soliven
    11K views32 pages
    The document discusses Euclid's axioms for geometry and their flaws. It provides Euclid's original five axioms, then discusses how they are insufficient to prove key theorems like the existence of points on a line. The document introduces Hilbert's reformulation of geometry axioms in the late 19th century to address issues with Euclid's system. It also discusses how axiom systems can be modeled using abstract concepts like points represented by tables and lines by chairs to demonstrate properties without relying on visual diagrams.

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    The document discusses Euclid's axioms for geometry and their flaws. It provides Euclid's original five axioms, then discusses how they are insufficient to prove key theorems like the existence of points on a line. The document introduces Hilbert's reformulation of geometry axioms in the late 19th century to address issues with Euclid's system. It also discusses how axiom systems can be modeled using abstract concepts like points represented by tables and lines by chairs to demonstrate properties without relying on visual diagrams.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    11K views32 pages

    02 - Flaws in Euclid

    Uploaded by

    Riemann Soliven
    The document discusses Euclid's axioms for geometry and their flaws. It provides Euclid's original five axioms, then discusses how they are insufficient to prove key theorems like the existence of points on a line. The document introduces Hilbert's reformulation of geometry axioms in the late 19th century to address issues with Euclid's system. It also discusses how axiom systems can be modeled using abstract concepts like points represented by tables and lines by chairs to demonstrate properties without relying on visual diagrams.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The document discusses Euclid's axioms of geometry, flaws in Euclid's system, Hilbert's axiomatic approach, and betweenness axioms.

    The five axioms of Euclidean geometry are: 1) Given two distinct points P and Q, there is a line through P and Q. 2) Any line segment can be extended indefinitely. 3) Given two distinct points P and Q, a circle centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn. 4) All right angles are congruent. 5) Given any line l and a point P not on l, there exists a line through P that is parallel to l.

    The flaw is that it assumes without proof that the bisector of the vertex angle meets the opposite side between the endpoints, which requires the betweenness axioms.

    Flaws in Euclid

    The Five Axioms

    Given two distinct points P and Q, there is a line


    through P and Q.

    Any line segment can be extended indefinitely.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, a circle


    centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn.

    All right angles are congruent.

    Given any line l and a point P not on l, there


    exists a line through P that is parallel to l.
    Using these axioms, try to prove that points
    and lines exist.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, there is a line


    through P and Q.

    Any line segment can be extended indefinitely.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, a circle


    centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn.

    All right angles are congruent.

    Given any line l and a point P not on l, there


    exists a line through P that is parallel to l.
    Using these axioms, try to prove that given a
    line l, there exists a point lying on l.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, there is a line


    through P and Q.

    Any line segment can be extended indefinitely.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, a circle


    centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn.

    All right angles are congruent.

    Given any line l and a point P not on l, there


    exists a line through P that is parallel to l.
    Using these axioms, try to prove that given a
    line l, there exists a point !T lying on l.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, there is a line


    through P and Q.

    Any line segment can be extended indefinitely.

    Given two distinct points P and Q, a circle


    centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn.

    All right angles are congruent.

    Given any line l and a point P not on l, there


    exists a line through P that is parallel to l.
    "trictly, under Euclidean
    Geometry, we have no guarantee
    that points and lines exist.
    #t is also $ust based on our
    %unfounded& assumptions that
    lines contain points.
    A simple abstract axiomatic
    system

    Undefined terms: Fe's Fo's, and the


    relation belongs to

    Axiom 1: There exist exactly three


    distinct Fe's in this system.

    Axiom 2: Two distinct Fe's belong to


    exactly one Fo.

    Axiom 3: Not all Fe's belong to the


    same Fo.

    Axiom 4: Any two distinct Fo's contain


    at least one Fe that belongs to both.
    Prove the ollowing Theorems.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 1. Two distinct Fo's contain


    exactly one Fe in common.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 2. There are exactly three Fo's.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 3. !ach Fo has exactly two


    Fe's that belong to it.
    #n proving the results in the
    previous slide, you may have
    imagined dots or dashes on a sheet
    of paper. 'e will ta(e the point of
    view that these dots and dashes
    are a model for the given
    geometry.
    )ore generally, given an axiom
    system, we can interpret the
    undefined terms in some way
    %does not have to be dots or
    dashes&. #f the axioms are satisfied
    based on our interpretation, then
    we can call our interpretation a
    model.
    "ample )odel*
    Designate the Fe's as people and the Fo's as
    committees.

    Axiom 1: There exist exactly three distinct


    people.

    Axiom 2: Two distinct people belong to exactly


    one committee.

    Axiom 3: Not all people belong to the same


    committee.

    Axiom 4: Any two distinct committees contain


    at least one person who belongs to both.
    "ample )odel*
    Designate the Fe's as books and the Fo's as bags.

    Axiom 1: There exist exactly three distinct


    books.

    Axiom 2: Two distinct books belong to exactly


    one bag.

    Axiom 3:Not all books belong to the same bag.

    Axiom 4: Any two distinct bags contain at least


    one book that is on both.
    The "se o models

    All theorems in the system are also correct


    statements in the model.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 1. Two distinct Fo's contain


    exactly one Fe in common.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 2. There are exactly three


    Fo's.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 3. !ach Fo has exactly two


    Fe's that belong to it.
    The "se o models

    All theorems in the system are also correct


    statements in the model.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 1. Two distinct committees


    contain exactly one #erson in common.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 2. There are exactly three


    committees.

    Fe-Fo Theorem 3. !ach committee has


    exactly two #ersons that belong to it.
    The use of models

    )odels are +laboratories, for experimenting


    with the axiomatic system.

    )athematicians often discover that one model


    has applications to completely different models.
    -ac( to Euclid.s Elements
    /onstruct an e0uilateral triangle 12roposition 34
    based on the following 1Euclidean4 axioms.
    3.Given two distinct points P and Q, there is a
    line through P and Q.
    5.Given two distinct points P and Q, a circle
    centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn.
    The first proposition
    3.To construct an e0uilateral triangle on a
    given finite straight line.
    There is a flaw in the logic because of the assumption that the
    two circles will have a point of intersection.

    6uite a few of Euclid.s proofs, such as the


    construction of an e0uilateral triangle or the "A"
    theorem, are based on reasoning from
    diagrams.

    7owever, as we.ve shown, diagrams can be


    deceptive.

    A larger system of explicit axioms is needed.

    !ne of the first set of axioms introduced to


    remedy the defects of Euclid.s wor( was given by
    )orit8 2asch in 3995.

    ote: This was around 5;;; years after Euclid.s


    Elements.
    <avid 7ilbert %39=5>3?@A&

    2resented not the


    first, but perhaps the
    most intuitive set of
    axioms, closest in
    spirit to Euclid.s.
    !ne must be able to say at all
    timesBinstead of points, lines and
    planesBtables, chairs and beer
    mugs.
    > <avid 7ilbert
    Euclid.s axioms in this sense
    3.Given two distinct tables P and Q, there is a
    chair through P and Q.
    5.Given two distinct tables P and Q, a circle
    centered at P with radius PQ can be drawn.
    /an you (now use these to construct an
    e0uilateral triangle*
    Euclid still relied on visual
    reasoning.

    2oint C that which has no part

    Dine C breadthless length

    "urface C that which has length and breadth


    only
    #n an axiomatic method

    2oints, lines and planes are undefined terms.

    'e use models to represent these terms.

    #n this system, points are not necessarily


    represented as dots, and lines are not
    necessarily represented as long straight stro(es.
    The Five sets of 7ilbert.s axioms

    Axioms of #ncidence

    Axioms of -etweenness

    Axioms of 2arallels

    Axioms of /ongruence

    Axioms of /ontinuity
    An exercise

    /onsider the following proof %found in some


    high school geometry texts& that the base angles
    of an isosceles triangle are congruent.

    Det the bisector of / meet A- at <.

    A/< is congruent to -/< by "A".

    A is congruent to -.

    Find the flaw in the proof.


    7ow do we (now that < lies
    between A and -*
    'e need -etweenness axioms to prove that the bisector
    of / does meet A- in a point between A and -.
    -etweenness Axioms %7ilbert&

    otation A E - E / to mean +point - is between


    points A and /,
    3. #f A E - E /, then A, -, and / are three distinct
    points lying on the same line, and / E - E A.
    1fills a gap in one flaw above4
    -etweenness Axioms %7ilbert&
    2. Given any two distinct points - and <, there
    exists points A, /, and E lying on -< such that A
    E - E <, - E / E <, and - E < E E.
    1ensures that there are points between - and
    <, and that the line -< does not end at - or <4
    3. #f A, -, and / are three distinct points lying on
    the same line, then one and only one of the
    points is between the other two.
    1ensures that a line is not circular4
    Exercise
    Given two points A and -, consider the two rays
    A- and -A.
    a.<raw diagrams to show that A- -A F A-,
    and A- -A F A-.
    b.2rove these formulas. Use the definitions of
    segment and ray, as given on the next slide.

    Given two points A and -. The segment A- is


    the set whose members are A, -, and all the
    points that lie on line A- that are between A and
    -.

    The ray A- is the following set of points on A-:


    all points on segment A- and all points / on A-
    such that A E - E /.

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