Tits Buildings and the Model Theory of Groups

Introduction to buildings and their geometries with emphasis on model theoretic constructions, covering recent developments.

This book provides a general introduction to Tits buildings, their geometries and the related classical linear groups. It also surveys recent developments in model theory, in particular explaining amalgamation methods which have produced examples and counterexamples in group theory and geometry. Suitable for graduate students and researchers.This volume contains selected papers by leading researchers from the international conference entitled Tits Buildings and the Model Theory of Groups, held in Würzburg in 2000. The first part of the book provides a general introduction to many aspects of buildings and their geometries, based on short lecture courses given at the conference. The rest of the book comprises survey and research articles on model theoretic results and techniques, showing the vitality and richness of these branches of mathematics. Among the most fruitful techniques, amalgamation constructions à la Hrushovski are explained and classified as they continue to play an important role both in model theory and geometry. The articles succeed in demonstrating the close connection between geometry, group theory and model theory. The book will be invaluable to graduate students as well as experienced researchers working in these areas of mathematics.