A new approach to Whitehead's asphericity question (Q2255546)

A connected 2-dimensional complex \(X\) is called \textsl{aspherical} if \(\pi_2(X)\) is trivial. In [Ann. Math. (2) 42, 409--428 (1941; JFM 67.0738.04)], \textit{J. H. C. Whitehead} asked whether a subcomplex of an aspherical 2-dimensional complex is also aspherical. The question is still open and the authors revisit it by using finite topological spaces. They formulate a related conjecture: if \(a\) is a maximal point of a homotopically trivial finite space \(X\) of height 2 such that \(X-a\) is connected, then \(X-a\) is aspherical. A positive answer to this conjecture would eliminate a well known (after \textit{J. Howie}'s work [Topology 22, 475--485 (1983; Zbl 0524.57002)]) possible type of counterexamples to a positive answer to Whitehead's asphericity question. The authors prove that their conjecture is true for \(qc\)-reducible finite topological spaces, a class of spaces which has been introduced by \textit{J. A. Barmak} for investigating the Andrews-Curtis conjecture in [Algebraic topology of finite topological spaces and applications. Lecture Notes in Mathematics 2032. Berlin: Springer (2011; Zbl 1235.55001)]. They also introduce the notion of \(a\)-\(point\) in a finite space. The deletion of such a point preserves asphericity and the authors prove that the answer to Whitehead's question is positive for finite spaces of height 2 which are reducible to a point by deleting \(a\)-\(points\). This implies that it is also positive for 2-dimensional simplicial complexes which collapse to a 1-dimensional subcomplex.