Theory of Operator Algebras I (Operator Algebras and Non-Commulative Geometry V)

Since its inception by von Neumann 70 years ago, the theory of operator algebras has become a rapidly developing area of importance for the understanding of many areas of mathematics and theoretical physics. Accessible to the non-specialist, this first part of a three-volume treatise provides a clear, carefully written survey that emphasizes the theory's analytical and topological aspects.