On the Vassiliev knot invariants

Abstract

The theory of knot invariants of finite type (Vassiliev invariants) is described. These invariants turn out to be at least as powerful as the Jones polynomial and its numerous generalizations coming from various quantum groups, and it is conjectured that these invariants are precisely as powerful as those polynomials. As invariants of finite type are much easier to define and manipulate than the quantum group invariants, it is likely that in attempting to classify knots, invariants of finite type will play a more fundamental role than the various knot polynomials.