Mainly drawing on explicit examples, the author introduces the reader to
themost recent techniques to study finite and infinite dynamical
systems. Without any knowledge of differential geometry or lie groups
theory the student can follow in a series of case studies the most
recent developments. r-matrices for Calogero-Moser systems and Toda
lattices are derived. Lax pairs for nontrivial infinite
dimensionalsystems are constructed as limits of classical matrix
algebras. The reader will find explanations of the approach to
integrable field theories, to spectral transform methods and to
solitons. New methods are proposed, thus helping students not only to
understand established techniques but also to interest them in modern
research on dynamical systems.