INVOLUTORY HOPF-ALGEBRAS

In 1975, Kaplansky conjectured that a finite-dimensional semisimple Ho pf algebra is necessarily involutory. Twelve years later, Larson and R adford proved the conjecture in characterisitic 0 and obtained signifi cant partial results in positive characteristics. Tile goal of this pa per is to offer an efficient proof of these results using rather minim al prerequisites, no ''harpoons'', and gratifyingly few ''hits''.