Coherence of associativity in categories with multiplication (Q1779460): Difference between revisions

If \(\mathcal{C}\) is a category and \(\otimes:\mathcal{C}^{2}\to \mathcal{C}\) is a functor then we say that \(\mathcal{C}\) is a category with functorial multiplication. The problem of associativity of \(\otimes\) was first considered by \textit{S. MacLane} [Rice Univ. Stud. 49, 28--46 (1963; Zbl 0244.18008)]. The main theorem of the paper presents a natural hypothesis such that any associativity isomorphism for a multiplication is coherent (which means that it is induced by a unique functorial isomorphism \(\alpha:-\otimes (-\otimes -)\to (-\otimes -)\otimes -\)). In the end of the paper, the author exhibits some connections and differences with S. MacLane's theorem.