The principle of duality in Euclidean and in absolute geometry

Abstract

In Euclidean geometry and in absolute geometry fragments of the principle of duality hold. Bachmann (Aufbau der Geometrie aus dem Spiegelungsbegriff, 1973, §3.9) posed the problem to find a general theorem which describes the extent of an allowed dualization. It is the aim of this paper to solve this problem. To this end a first-order axiomatization of Euclidean (resp. absolute) geometry is provided which allows the application of Godel’s Completeness Theorem for first-order logic and the solution of Bachmann’s problem.