This book gives an introduction to C*-algebras and their representations on Hilbert spaces. We have tried to present only what we believe are the most basic ideas, as simply and concretely as we could. So whenever it is convenient (and it usually is), Hilbert spaces become separable and C*-algebras become GCR. This practice probably creates an impression that nothing of value is known about other C*-algebras. Of course that is not true. But insofar as representations are con- cerned, we can point to the empirical fact that to this day no one has given a concrete parametric description of even...

This book presents the basic tools of modern analysis within the context of what might be called the fundamental problem of operator theory: to c- culate spectra of speci?c operators on in?nite-dimensional spaces, especially operators on Hilbert spaces. The tools are diverse, and they provide the basis for more re?ned methods that allow one to approach problems that go well beyond the computation of spectra; the mathematical foundations of quantum physics, noncommutative K-theory, and the classi?cation of sim- ? ple C -algebras being three areas of current research activity that require...

This book gives an introduction to C*-algebras and their representations on Hilbert spaces. We have tried to present only what we believe are the most basic ideas, as simply and concretely as we could. So whenever it is convenient (and it usually is), Hilbert spaces become separable and C*-algebras become GCR. This practice probably creates an impression that nothing of value is known about other C*-algebras. Of course that is not true. But insofar as representations are con- cerned, we can point to the empirical fact that to this day no one has given a concrete parametric description of even...