Connected category
Define a connected category as a _nonempty_ category for which every functor to a discrete category is isomorphic to the constant functor.
NB. Some authors include the empty category as connected, we do not. We instead are interested in categories with exactly one 'connected component'.
We give some equivalent definitions:
- A nonempty category for which every functor to a discrete category is
constant on objects.
See any_functor_const_on_objandconnected.of_any_functor_const_on_obj.
- A nonempty category for which every function Ffor which the presence of a morphismf : j₁ ⟶ j₂impliesF j₁ = F j₂must be constant everywhere. Seeconstant_of_preserves_morphismsandconnected.of_constant_of_preserves_morphisms.
- A nonempty category for which any subset of its elements containing the
default and closed under morphisms is everything.
See induct_on_objectsandconnected.of_induct.
- A nonempty category for which every object is related under the reflexive
transitive closure of the relation "there is a morphism in some direction
from j₁toj₂". Seeconnected_zigzagandzigzag_connected.
- A nonempty category for which for any two objects there is a sequence of
morphisms (some reversed) from one to the other.
See exists_zigzag'andconnected_of_zigzag.
We also prove the result that the functor given by (X × -) preserves any
connected limit. That is, any limit of shape J where J is a connected
category is preserved by the functor (X × -).
- to_inhabited : inhabited J
- iso_constant : Π {α : Type ?} (F : J ⥤ category_theory.discrete α), F ≅ (category_theory.functor.const J).obj (F.obj (inhabited.default J))
We define a connected category as a _nonempty_ category for which every functor to a discrete category is constant.
NB. Some authors include the empty category as connected, we do not. We instead are interested in categories with exactly one 'connected component'.
This allows us to show that the functor X ⨯ - preserves connected limits.
If J is connected, any functor to a discrete category is constant on objects.
The converse is given in connected.of_any_functor_const_on_obj.
If any functor to a discrete category is constant on objects, J is connected.
The converse of any_functor_const_on_obj.
Equations
- category_theory.connected.of_any_functor_const_on_obj h = {to_inhabited := _inst_2, iso_constant := λ (α : Type v₂) (F : J ⥤ category_theory.discrete α), category_theory.nat_iso.of_components (λ (B : J), category_theory.eq_to_iso _) _}
If J is connected, then given any function F such that the presence of a
morphism j₁ ⟶ j₂ implies F j₁ = F j₂, we have that F is constant.
This can be thought of as a local-to-global property.
The converse is shown in connected.of_constant_of_preserves_morphisms
J is connected if: given any function F : J → α which is constant for any
j₁, j₂ for which there is a morphism j₁ ⟶ j₂, then F is constant.
This can be thought of as a local-to-global property.
The converse of constant_of_preserves_morphisms.
An inductive-like property for the objects of a connected category.
If default J is in the set p, and p is closed under morphisms of J,
then p contains all of J.
The converse is given in connected.of_induct.
If any maximal connected component of J containing the default is all of J, then J is connected.
The converse of induct_on_objects.
j₁ and j₂ are related by zag if there is a morphism between them.
j₁ and j₂ are related by zigzag if there is a chain of
morphisms from j₁ to j₂, with backward morphisms allowed.
Any equivalence relation containing (⟶) holds for all pairs of a connected category.
In a connected category, any two objects are related by zigzag.
If any two objects in an inhabited category are related by zigzag, the category is connected.
If any two objects in an inhabited category are linked by a sequence of (potentially reversed) morphisms, then J is connected.
The converse of exists_zigzag'.
If discrete α is connected, then α is (type-)equivalent to punit.
Equations
- category_theory.discrete_connected_equiv_punit = category_theory.discrete.equiv_of_equivalence {functor := category_theory.functor.star (category_theory.discrete α) (category_theory.discrete_category α), inverse := category_theory.discrete.functor (λ (_x : punit), inhabited.default (category_theory.discrete α)), unit_iso := category_theory.connected.iso_constant (𝟭 (category_theory.discrete α)), counit_iso := (category_theory.discrete.functor (λ (_x : punit), inhabited.default (category_theory.discrete α)) ⋙ category_theory.functor.star (category_theory.discrete α)).punit_ext (𝟭 (category_theory.discrete punit)), functor_unit_iso_comp' := _}
For objects X Y : C, any natural transformation α : const X ⟶ const Y from a connected
category must be constant.
This is the key property of connected categories which we use to establish properties about limits.