Category of small categoriesIn mathematics, specifically in , the category of small categories, denoted by Cat, is the whose objects are all and whose morphisms are functors between categories. Cat may actually be regarded as a with natural transformations serving as 2-morphisms. The initial object of Cat is the empty category 0, which is the category of no objects and no morphisms. The terminal object is the terminal category or trivial category 1 with a single object and morphism. The category Cat is itself a , and therefore not an object of itself.
Category of ringsIn mathematics, the category of rings, denoted by Ring, is the whose objects are rings (with identity) and whose morphisms are ring homomorphisms (that preserve the identity). Like many categories in mathematics, the category of rings is , meaning that the class of all rings is proper. The category Ring is a meaning that the objects are sets with additional structure (addition and multiplication) and the morphisms are functions that preserve this structure.
Preadditive categoryIn mathematics, specifically in , a preadditive category is another name for an Ab-category, i.e., a that is over the , Ab. That is, an Ab-category C is a such that every hom-set Hom(A,B) in C has the structure of an abelian group, and composition of morphisms is bilinear, in the sense that composition of morphisms distributes over the group operation. In formulas: and where + is the group operation. Some authors have used the term additive category for preadditive categories, but here we follow the current trend of reserving this term for certain special preadditive categories (see below).
Model categoryIn mathematics, particularly in homotopy theory, a model category is a with distinguished classes of morphisms ('arrows') called 'weak equivalences', 'fibrations' and 'cofibrations' satisfying certain axioms relating them. These abstract from the category of topological spaces or of chain complexes ( theory). The concept was introduced by . In recent decades, the language of model categories has been used in some parts of algebraic K-theory and algebraic geometry, where homotopy-theoretic approaches led to deep results.
Injective hullIn mathematics, particularly in algebra, the injective hull (or injective envelope) of a module is both the smallest injective module containing it and the largest essential extension of it. Injective hulls were first described in . A module E is called the injective hull of a module M, if E is an essential extension of M, and E is injective. Here, the base ring is a ring with unity, though possibly non-commutative. An injective module is its own injective hull. The injective hull of an integral domain is its field of fractions .
Nerve (category theory)In , a discipline within mathematics, the nerve N(C) of a C is a simplicial set constructed from the objects and morphisms of C. The geometric realization of this simplicial set is a topological space, called the classifying space of the category C. These closely related objects can provide information about some familiar and useful categories using algebraic topology, most often homotopy theory. The nerve of a category is often used to construct topological versions of moduli spaces.
Glossary of category theoryThis is a glossary of properties and concepts in in mathematics. (see also .) Notes on foundations: In many expositions (e.g., Vistoli), the set-theoretic issues are ignored; this means, for instance, that one does not distinguish between small and large categories and that one can arbitrarily form a localization of a category. Like those expositions, this glossary also generally ignores the set-theoretic issues, except when they are relevant (e.g., the discussion on accessibility.
Accessible categoryThe theory of accessible categories is a part of mathematics, specifically of . It attempts to describe categories in terms of the "size" (a cardinal number) of the operations needed to generate their objects. The theory originates in the work of Grothendieck completed by 1969, and Gabriel and Ulmer (1971). It has been further developed in 1989 by Michael Makkai and Robert Paré, with motivation coming from model theory, a branch of mathematical logic. A standard text book by Adámek and Rosický appeared in 1994.
Index setIn mathematics, an index set is a set whose members label (or index) members of another set. For instance, if the elements of a set A may be indexed or labeled by means of the elements of a set J, then J is an index set. The indexing consists of a surjective function from J onto A, and the indexed collection is typically called an indexed family, often written as {Aj}j∈J. An enumeration of a set S gives an index set , where f : J → S is the particular enumeration of S.
Monoidal categoryIn mathematics, a monoidal category (or tensor category) is a equipped with a bifunctor that is associative up to a natural isomorphism, and an I that is both a left and right identity for ⊗, again up to a natural isomorphism. The associated natural isomorphisms are subject to certain coherence conditions, which ensure that all the relevant s commute. The ordinary tensor product makes vector spaces, abelian groups, R-modules, or R-algebras into monoidal categories. Monoidal categories can be seen as a generalization of these and other examples.
Empty setIn mathematics, the empty set is the unique set having no elements; its size or cardinality (count of elements in a set) is zero. Some axiomatic set theories ensure that the empty set exists by including an axiom of empty set, while in other theories, its existence can be deduced. Many possible properties of sets are vacuously true for the empty set. Any set other than the empty set is called non-empty. In some textbooks and popularizations, the empty set is referred to as the "null set".
Structure (mathematical logic)In universal algebra and in model theory, a structure consists of a set along with a collection of finitary operations and relations that are defined on it. Universal algebra studies structures that generalize the algebraic structures such as groups, rings, fields and vector spaces. The term universal algebra is used for structures of first-order theories with no relation symbols. Model theory has a different scope that encompasses more arbitrary first-order theories, including foundational structures such as models of set theory.
