From M\"obius inversion to renormalisation

Abstract

This paper traces a straight line from classical M\"obius inversion to Hopf-algebraic perturbative renormalisation. This line, which is logical but not entirely historical, consists of just a few main abstraction steps, and some intermediate steps dwelled upon for mathematical pleasure. The paper is largely expository, but contains many new perspectives on well-known results. For example, the equivalence between the Bogoliubov recursion and the Atkinson formula is exhibited as a direct generalisation of the equivalence between the Weisner--Rota recursion and the Hall--Leroux formula for M\"obius inversion.