Algebraic Kan extensions along morphisms of internal algebra classifiers (Q278230): Difference between revisions

In his treatment of algebraic theories and structure, an important fact Lawvere proved was that, for any functor \(f : A\to B\) between small categories \(A\) and \(B\) with finite products, the left Kan extension \(\mathrm{Lan}_f(m) : B\to \mathrm{Set}\) of any finite-product-preserving functor \(m : A\to \mathrm{Set}\) is also finite product preserving. The special properties of finite product and \(\mathrm{Set}\) which make this work are: (a) there is a canonical comparison \(f(a_1\times \dots \times a_n)\to f(a_1)\times \dots \times f(a_n)\); (b) for any set \(x\), the endofunctors \(x\times -\) and \(-\times x\) of \(\mathrm{Set}\) preserve colimits; and (c) the left Kan extension is constructible pointwise by the usual colimit formula. After the Introduction, in Section 2 the present paper centres attention on showing how the above result about Kan extensions can be lifted to the context where finite products are replaced by pseudo-algebra structure for a 2-monad \(T\) on a 2-category \(\mathcal{K}\). Item (a) is now replaced by the condition that \(f : A\to B\) should be a colax morphism of pseudo-\(T\)-algebras. Items (b) and (c) require the introduction of a number of new pseudo-\(T\)-algebra concepts: algebraic left extension for pseudomorphisms, algebraic cocompleteness with respect to a morphism, exactness of a square containing a 2-cell, and exactness for a colax morphism. The main theorem of the paper is stated in Section 3, with examples, while the proof is postponed until Section 5.7. This theorem involves three 2-monads \(T\), \(R\) and \(S\) on respective 2-categories \(\mathcal{K}\), \(\mathcal{M}\) and \(\mathcal{L}\). The idea is that \(T\) describes the ambient structure, while \(R\) and \(S\) describe types of structure which can be defined internal to a pseudo-\(T\)-algebra, where \(S\) structure is richer than \(R\) structure as expressed using an adjunction \(G: (\mathcal{M},R)\to (\mathcal{L}, S)\). There is a forgetful functor \(U^G_A: S\text{-}\mathrm{Alg}(A)\to R\text{-}\mathrm{Alg}(A)\) between the categories of algebras internal to each pseudo-\(T\)-algebra \(A\). Conditions are developed under which a left adjoint for \(U^G_A\) can be constructed via algebraic left extension. The main theorem states that these conditions are met when dealing with polynomial monads in \(\mathrm{Cat}\). For background, see the author's paper [Theory Appl. Categ. 30, 1659--1712 (2015; Zbl 1375.18058)] and his other two papers in that volume. The paper contains a wealth of new results for working within a 2-category. The merit of working at this level is reinforced by the diversity of the applications. For example, further insight is gained on situations studied by \textit{R. M. Kaufmann} and \textit{B. C. Ward} [``Feynman categories'', \url{arXiv:1312.1269}] and by \textit{M. Batanin} and \textit{C. Berger} [``Homotopy theory for algebras over polynomial monads'', \url{arXiv:1305.0086}].