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darij grinberg
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"Why" is every polynomial representation of SL(2) selfdual?

Given a field $K$ of characteristic $0$. It seems to me that every representation of $\mathrm{SL}_2\left(K\right)$ is self-dual (i. e., isomorphic to its dual). In fact, every representation of $\mathrm{SL}_2\left(K\right)$ is a direct sum of irreducible representations (since $\mathrm{SL}_2\left(K\right)$ is semisimple), and the irreducible representations are the canonical representations on $K\left[x,y\right]_n$ which are known to be self-dual. But is there a simpler proof without subdividing into irreducibles? And maybe even a canonical choice for the isomorphism $V\to V^{\ast}$?

darij grinberg
  • 33.8k
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