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by ww520 1602 days ago
As long as, C*Cinv = I, where C is the circle, Cinv is the inverse of circle, and I the identity. You're right. C, I, and * are entirely up in the air.
2 comments

In general for inversion, we have object A (argument) and object I (identity) and a function F of two arguments, so we have equations: `F(A, X) == I, F(A, I) == I, F(X, I) == I, A != I, A != X`, where A, I, and X are objects in the same category, i.e. they must be circles `(x² + y² == r²)`.

If F is defined as `ra•rx`, then `ri == 1`, and inverse will be `rx = 1/ra`.

If F is defined as `ra + rx`, then `ri == 0`, and inverse will be `rx = 0 - ra`, where negative radius means hole.

If F is defined as `ra²•rx²`, then `ri == 1²`, and inverse will be `rx = sqrt(1/ra²)`.

If F is defined as `ra² + rx²`, then `ri == 0²`, and inverse will be `rx = sqrt(0 - ra²)`.

And so on.

Correction: `F(A, I) == A, F(X, I) == X`.
An inverse is pretty easy to generalize, and it need not rely on multiplication or the identity.

Basically: Given a function `f`, then the function `g` is the inverse of `f` if `g(f(x)) = x`.

It is easy to generalize, but it is not being generalized here.