We give criteria for real, complex and quaternionic representations to define
s-representations, focusing on exceptional Lie algebras defined by spin
representations. As applications, we obtain the classification of complex
representations whose second exterior power is irreducible or has an
irreducible summand of co-dimension one, and we give a conceptual
computation-free argument for the construction of the exceptional Lie algebras
of compact type.Comment: 16 pages [v2: references added, last section expanded
