Čech complexes for covers of small categories (Q1688701)

Consider the Čech nerve of an open cover \(\mathcal{U} = \{U_i\}_{i\in I}\) of a topological space \(X\) as a functor \({\check C}(\mathcal{U}): \Delta^{op} \to Spc\). Then the map \(\mathrm{hocolim}\) \({\check C}(\mathcal{U}) \to X\) is a weak homotopy equivalence. The paper questions whether a similar construction for categories and their set-theoretical covers by subcategories would give a homotopy equivalence of classifying spaces. The author defines certain notions of filter and ideal subcategories and answers the question positively for covers whose elements are either filter or ideal subcategories. The author proves the statement for certain variations of the Čech nerve and also some other related statements. In the end the results are applied to obtain an inclusion-exclusion formula for Euler characteristics of categories (defined in [\textit{T. Leinster}, Doc. Math., J. DMV 13, 21--49 (2008; Zbl 1139.18009)]) when the subcategories in the formula are either filter or ideal.