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Cocone
In category theory, a branch of mathematics, the cone of a functor is an abstract notion used to define the limit of that functor. Cones make other appearances in category theory as well. Definition Let ''F'' : ''J'' → ''C'' be a diagram in ''C''. Formally, a diagram is nothing more than a functor from ''J'' to ''C''. The change in terminology reflects the fact that we think of ''F'' as indexing a family of objects and morphisms in ''C''. The category ''J'' is thought of as an "index category". One should consider this in analogy with the concept of an indexed family of objects in set theory. The primary difference is that here we have morphisms as well. Thus, for example, when ''J'' is a discrete category, it corresponds most closely to the idea of an indexed family in set theory. Another common and more interesting example takes ''J'' to be a span. ''J'' can also be taken to be the empty category, leading to the simplest cones. Let ''N'' be an object of ''C''. A cone from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Limit (category Theory)
In category theory, a branch of mathematics, the abstract notion of a limit captures the essential properties of universal constructions such as product (category theory), products, pullback (category theory), pullbacks and inverse limits. The duality (category theory), dual notion of a colimit generalizes constructions such as disjoint unions, direct sums, coproducts, pushout (category theory), pushouts and direct limits. Limits and colimits, like the strongly related notions of universal property, universal properties and adjoint functors, exist at a high level of abstraction. In order to understand them, it is helpful to first study the specific examples these concepts are meant to generalize. Definition Limits and colimits in a category (mathematics), category C are defined by means of diagrams in C. Formally, a diagram (category theory), diagram of shape J in C is a functor from J to C: :F:J\to C. The category J is thought of as an index category, and the diagram F is tho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comma Category
In mathematics, a comma category (a special case being a slice category) is a construction in category theory. It provides another way of looking at morphisms: instead of simply relating objects of a Category (mathematics), category to one another, morphisms become objects in their own right. This notion was introduced in 1963 by William Lawvere, F. W. Lawvere (Lawvere, 1963 p. 36), although the technique did not become generally known until many years later. Several mathematical concepts can be treated as comma categories. Comma categories also guarantee the existence of some Limit (category theory), limits and colimits. The name comes from the notation originally used by Lawvere, which involved the comma punctuation mark. The name persists even though standard notation has changed, since the use of a comma as an operator is potentially confusing, and even Lawvere dislikes the uninformative term "comma category" (Lawvere, 1963 p. 13). Definition The most general comma ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Category Theory
Category theory is a general theory of mathematical structures and their relations. It was introduced by Samuel Eilenberg and Saunders Mac Lane in the middle of the 20th century in their foundational work on algebraic topology. Category theory is used in most areas of mathematics. In particular, many constructions of new mathematical objects from previous ones that appear similarly in several contexts are conveniently expressed and unified in terms of categories. Examples include quotient space (other), quotient spaces, direct products, completion, and duality (mathematics), duality. Many areas of computer science also rely on category theory, such as functional programming and Semantics (computer science), semantics. A category (mathematics), category is formed by two sorts of mathematical object, objects: the object (category theory), objects of the category, and the morphisms, which relate two objects called the ''source'' and the ''target'' of the morphism. Metapho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Category Of Diagrams
In category theory, a branch of mathematics, a diagram is the categorical analogue of an indexed family in set theory. The primary difference is that in the categorical setting one has morphisms that also need indexing. An indexed family of sets is a collection of sets, indexed by a fixed set; equivalently, a ''function'' from a fixed index ''set'' to the class of ''sets''. A diagram is a collection of objects and morphisms, indexed by a fixed category; equivalently, a ''functor'' from a fixed index ''category'' to some ''category''. Definition Formally, a diagram of type ''J'' in a category ''C'' is a ( covariant) functor The category ''J'' is called the index category or the scheme of the diagram ''D''; the functor is sometimes called a ''J''-shaped diagram. The actual objects and morphisms in ''J'' are largely irrelevant; only the way in which they are interrelated matters. The diagram ''D'' is thought of as indexing a collection of objects and morphisms in ''C'' patterned on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Categories For The Working Mathematician
''Categories for the Working Mathematician'' (''CWM'') is a textbook in category theory written by American mathematician Saunders Mac Lane, who cofounded the subject together with Samuel Eilenberg. It was first published in 1971, and is based on his lectures on the subject given at the University of Chicago, the Australian National University, Bowdoin College, and Tulane University. It is widely regarded as the premier introduction to the subject. Contents The book has twelve chapters, which are: :Chapter I. Categories, Functors, and Natural Transformations. :Chapter II. Constructions on Categories. :Chapter III. Universals and Limits. :Chapter IV. Adjoints. :Chapter V. Limits. :Chapter VI. Monads and Algebras. :Chapter VII. Monoids. :Chapter VIII. Abelian Categories. :Chapter IX. Special Limits. :Chapter X. Kan Extensions. :Chapter XI. Symmetry and Braiding in Monoidal Categories :Chapter XII. Structures in Categories. Chapters XI and XII were added in the 1998 s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Initial Object
In category theory, a branch of mathematics, an initial object of a category is an object in such that for every object in , there exists precisely one morphism . The dual notion is that of a terminal object (also called terminal element): is terminal if for every object in there exists exactly one morphism . Initial objects are also called coterminal or universal, and terminal objects are also called final. If an object is both initial and terminal, it is called a zero object or null object. A pointed category is one with a zero object. A strict initial object is one for which every morphism into is an isomorphism. Examples * The empty set is the unique initial object in Set, the category of sets. Every one-element set ( singleton) is a terminal object in this category; there are no zero objects. Similarly, the empty space is the unique initial object in Top, the category of topological spaces and every one-point space is a terminal object in this category. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Functor Co-cone (extended)
In mathematics, specifically category theory, a functor is a mapping between categories. Functors were first considered in algebraic topology, where algebraic objects (such as the fundamental group) are associated to topological spaces, and maps between these algebraic objects are associated to continuous maps between spaces. Nowadays, functors are used throughout modern mathematics to relate various categories. Thus, functors are important in all areas within mathematics to which category theory is applied. The words ''category'' and ''functor'' were borrowed by mathematicians from the philosophers Aristotle and Rudolf Carnap, respectively. The latter used ''functor'' in a linguistic context; see function word. Definition Let ''C'' and ''D'' be categories. A functor ''F'' from ''C'' to ''D'' is a mapping that * associates each object X in ''C'' to an object F(X) in ''D'', * associates each morphism f \colon X \to Y in ''C'' to a morphism F(f) \colon F(X) \to F(Y) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terminal Object
In category theory, a branch of mathematics, an initial object of a category is an object in such that for every object in , there exists precisely one morphism . The dual notion is that of a terminal object (also called terminal element): is terminal if for every object in there exists exactly one morphism . Initial objects are also called coterminal or universal, and terminal objects are also called final. If an object is both initial and terminal, it is called a zero object or null object. A pointed category is one with a zero object. A strict initial object is one for which every morphism into is an isomorphism. Examples * The empty set is the unique initial object in Set, the category of sets. Every one-element set ( singleton) is a terminal object in this category; there are no zero objects. Similarly, the empty space is the unique initial object in Top, the category of topological spaces and every one-point space is a terminal object in this category. * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Universal Morphism
In mathematics, more specifically in category theory, a universal property is a property that characterizes up to an isomorphism the result of some constructions. Thus, universal properties can be used for defining some objects independently from the method chosen for constructing them. For example, the definitions of the integers from the natural numbers, of the rational numbers from the integers, of the real numbers from the rational numbers, and of polynomial rings from the field of their coefficients can all be done in terms of universal properties. In particular, the concept of universal property allows a simple proof that all constructions of real numbers are equivalent: it suffices to prove that they satisfy the same universal property. Technically, a universal property is defined in terms of categories and functors by means of a universal morphism (see , below). Universal morphisms can also be thought more abstractly as initial or terminal objects of a comma category ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Functor Cone (extended)
In mathematics, specifically category theory, a functor is a mapping between categories. Functors were first considered in algebraic topology, where algebraic objects (such as the fundamental group) are associated to topological spaces, and maps between these algebraic objects are associated to continuous maps between spaces. Nowadays, functors are used throughout modern mathematics to relate various categories. Thus, functors are important in all areas within mathematics to which category theory is applied. The words ''category'' and ''functor'' were borrowed by mathematicians from the philosophers Aristotle and Rudolf Carnap, respectively. The latter used ''functor'' in a linguistic context; see function word. Definition Let ''C'' and ''D'' be categories. A functor ''F'' from ''C'' to ''D'' is a mapping that * associates each object X in ''C'' to an object F(X) in ''D'', * associates each morphism f \colon X \to Y in ''C'' to a morphism F(f) \colon F(X) \to F(Y) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Natural Transformation
In category theory, a branch of mathematics, a natural transformation provides a way of transforming one functor into another while respecting the internal structure (i.e., the composition of morphisms) of the categories involved. Hence, a natural transformation can be considered to be a "morphism of functors". Informally, the notion of a natural transformation states that a particular map between functors can be done consistently over an entire category. Indeed, this intuition can be formalized to define so-called functor categories. Natural transformations are, after categories and functors, one of the most fundamental notions of category theory and consequently appear in the majority of its applications. Definition If F and G are functors between the categories C and D (both from C to D), then a natural transformation \eta from F to G is a family of morphisms that satisfies two requirements. # The natural transformation must associate, to every object X in C, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
