TITLE: definition of Hessian with respect to connection
QUESTION [5 upvotes]: Hi,
I am reading the lecture notes on Morse Homology written by M.Hutchings, in that notes definition of Hessian is defined in coordinate free way: given any connection $ H(f,p)= \nabla_v(df)$ where $v$ is the tangent vector at critical point $p$, and $df$ is differential of $f$. I need to show this definition does not depend on choice of connection. Hutchings says that the difference of two connection is a tensor and $df$ vanishes at p, so the above fact holds. I can not understand the meaning of "the difference of two connection is a tensor" and how this observation solves my problem. 
Thanks,

REPLY [7 votes]: There is no real need for a connection in this situation. 
The underlying fact is that if $s$ is a section of a vector bundle $E$ over $X$, and $s$ vanishes at a point $x_0$, then it has an intrinsic derivative $Ds(x_0):T_{x_0}X\to E_{x_0}$, defined by 
$Ds(x_0)\cdot v=\lim_{t\to 0} s(x_t)/t$, where $t\mapsto x_t$, $t\in]-1,1[$ is any curve in $X$ with velocity $v$ at $t=0$.
In your case $E$ is $T^*X$ and $s=df$.