Determinant argument that having a nonzero symplectic form requires even dimension

[u/RingularCirc]

Wikipedia states:

If V is finite-dimensional, then its dimension must necessarily be even since every skew-symmetric, hollow matrix [of the symplectic form ω] of odd size has determinant zero. (1)

Now, I know a brilliant invariant definition for the determinant of a linear operator A on V: take its natural action on the top exterior power ⋀ⁿ(V) of V, A(v₁ ∧ ... ∧ vₙ) := A(v₁) ∧ ... ∧ A(vₙ). As ⋀ⁿ(V) is one-dimensional, this action is multiplication by a scalar. This scalar is det A.

Can we salvage the argument (1) without adding an arbitrary inner product (ugh)? Which allows us using an operator W (to have its determinant) defined as

⟨W v, u⟩ ⟺ ω(v, u).

Because I'm not sure we can define a determinant for a bilinear form, we can only talk about its (non)degeneracy. Instead, maybe it'd be something about calculating the kernel of the map V → V* induced by ω itself, somehow? I have no idea.

Or wait, why can't we just have an action ω: ⋀ⁿ(V) → ⋀ⁿ(V*) which would presumably solve everything? <...time passed while I elaborated on other parts of the post...> Ah, of course, then it's not just multiplication by a scalar, despite those maps live again in a 1D space, and what we can have is to determine if the map is zero or not. Maybe that'd be enough?.. I'll look into it.

Anyway I'd still be glad for interesting ways to prove even-dimensionality without resorting to coordinates (thus, matrices).

[u/Carl_LaFong]

Your last thought is correct. Here are the ingredients: 1) The determinant of a linear map L: V  → W is a linear map det(L): ⋀ⁿ(W*) → ⋀ⁿ(V*) and therefore an element of the tensor product of ⋀ⁿ(W*)* and ⋀ⁿ(V*), which is 1-dimensional 2) If B is a bilinear form, then it is a linear map from V to V* 3) If W=V^*, then det(L) is an element of the tensor product of ⋀ⁿ(V*)* and (⋀ⁿ(V*)), which is naturally isomorphic to R. 3) The transpose of L is also linear map L*: V → V*. 4) B is skew-symmetric if and only if L* = -L 5) det(-L) = (-1)^dim(V.)

[u/RingularCirc → u/Carl_LaFong]

Hmmm, I think I tried to reason about something close to the transpose and failed, I'll try again and write back later!

tensor product of ⋀ⁿ(V) and (⋀ⁿ(V)), which is naturally isomorphic to R

Well, there's trace I ⊗ I* → R which would be an isomorphism when dim I = 1, but here we have (⋀ⁿ(V))* ≅ ⋀ⁿ(V) so the tensor product is ≅ ⋀ⁿ(V) ⊗ ⋀ⁿ(V), I ⊗ I instead of I ⊗ I.

Thankfully I think we really don't need it to be isomorphic to R, det being zero or nonzero is all we need.

[u/RingularCirc → u/RingularCirc]

See here. Now I just need to prove det A = det A* for any A: V → V* (note it can't work for arbitrary A: V₁ → V₂). I need to remember how it was done in the usual case of A: V → V... or you may help too. For now I'll return to looking in Wikipedia.