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.
Quasi-categoryIn mathematics, more specifically , a quasi-category (also called quasicategory, weak Kan complex, inner Kan complex, infinity category, ∞-category, Boardman complex, quategory) is a generalization of the notion of a . The study of such generalizations is known as . Quasi-categories were introduced by . André Joyal has much advanced the study of quasi-categories showing that most of the usual basic and some of the advanced notions and theorems have their analogues for quasi-categories.
TopologyIn mathematics, topology (from the Greek words τόπος, and λόγος) is concerned with the properties of a geometric object that are preserved under continuous deformations, such as stretching, twisting, crumpling, and bending; that is, without closing holes, opening holes, tearing, gluing, or passing through itself. A topological space is a set endowed with a structure, called a topology, which allows defining continuous deformation of subspaces, and, more generally, all kinds of continuity.
Higher category theoryIn mathematics, higher category theory is the part of at a higher order, which means that some equalities are replaced by explicit arrows in order to be able to explicitly study the structure behind those equalities. Higher category theory is often applied in algebraic topology (especially in homotopy theory), where one studies algebraic invariants of spaces, such as their fundamental . An ordinary has and morphisms, which are called 1-morphisms in the context of higher category theory.
Symmetric monoidal categoryIn , a branch of mathematics, a symmetric monoidal category is a (i.e. a category in which a "tensor product" is defined) such that the tensor product is symmetric (i.e. is, in a certain strict sense, naturally isomorphic to for all objects and of the category). One of the prototypical examples of a symmetric monoidal category is the over some fixed field k, using the ordinary tensor product of vector spaces.
Homotopy categoryIn mathematics, the homotopy category is a built from the category of topological spaces which in a sense identifies two spaces that have the same shape. The phrase is in fact used for two different (but related) categories, as discussed below. More generally, instead of starting with the category of topological spaces, one may start with any and define its associated homotopy category, with a construction introduced by Quillen in 1967. In this way, homotopy theory can be applied to many other categories in geometry and algebra.
Morita equivalenceIn abstract algebra, Morita equivalence is a relationship defined between rings that preserves many ring-theoretic properties. More precisely two rings like R, S are Morita equivalent (denoted by ) if their are equivalent (denoted by ). It is named after Japanese mathematician Kiiti Morita who defined equivalence and a similar notion of duality in 1958. Rings are commonly studied in terms of their modules, as modules can be viewed as representations of rings.
Suspension (topology)In topology, a branch of mathematics, the suspension of a topological space X is intuitively obtained by stretching X into a cylinder and then collapsing both end faces to points. One views X as "suspended" between these end points. The suspension of X is denoted by SX or susp(X). There is a variation of the suspension for pointed space, which is called the reduced suspension and denoted by ΣX. The "usual" suspension SX is sometimes called the unreduced suspension, unbased suspension, or free suspension of X, to distinguish it from ΣX.
Algebraic topologyAlgebraic topology is a branch of mathematics that uses tools from abstract algebra to study topological spaces. The basic goal is to find algebraic invariants that classify topological spaces up to homeomorphism, though usually most classify up to homotopy equivalence. Although algebraic topology primarily uses algebra to study topological problems, using topology to solve algebraic problems is sometimes also possible. Algebraic topology, for example, allows for a convenient proof that any subgroup of a free group is again a free group.
Dagger symmetric monoidal categoryIn the mathematical field of , a dagger symmetric monoidal category is a that also possesses a . That is, this category comes equipped not only with a tensor product in the sense but also with a , which is used to describe unitary morphisms and self-adjoint morphisms in : abstract analogues of those found in FdHilb, the . This type of was introduced by Peter Selinger as an intermediate structure between and the that are used in categorical quantum mechanics, an area that now also considers dagger symmetric monoidal categories when dealing with infinite-dimensional quantum mechanical concepts.
