Optimal subcategories and Stone-Weierstrass (Q1100700)

In many categories of topological algebra there is a conspicuous ``dualizing object'' K e.g. the scalar field in categories of linear spaces or algebras, the circle group in categories of groups. For such categories \({\mathfrak AC}\), enriched over a cartesian closed ``topological'' base category \({\mathfrak C}\), the present paper offers a good technique of constructing full reflective \({\mathfrak C}\)-subcategories through an ``upgrading'' process. This generalizes the similar study for linear space in [\textit{L. D. Nel}, Proc. Toledo Int. Conf. 1983, Sigma Ser. Pure Math. 5, 408-424 (1984; Zbl 0555.46034)]. The first step is take all A which admit a monomorphism into some \({\mathfrak C}(X,K)\). This forms \({\mathfrak mAC}\subset {\mathfrak C}\). Now upgrade \({\mathfrak mAC}\) to \({\mathfrak oAC}\), determined by all A having \(A\to {\mathfrak C}(X,K)\) which is an extremal monomorphism in \({\mathfrak mAC}\). Other ``upgrading classes'' of monomorphisms could also be used, but \({\mathfrak oAC}\) is the smallest category that can be formed this way. Its objects can be thought of as abstract ``complete and separated algebras''. The abstract theory is applied to the category \({\mathfrak AC}_ c\) of convergence \({\mathbb{R}}\)- algebras and its optimal subcategory \({\mathfrak oAC}_ c\) to obtain the following Theorem. For any \({\mathfrak C}_ c\)-space X and optimal subalgebra \(A\subset {\mathfrak C}_ c(X,{\mathbb{R}})\) the following statements are equivalent (1) The inclusion map \(A\to {\mathfrak C}_ c(X)\) is an epimorphism in \({\mathfrak oAC}_ c\); (2) A separates \({\mathfrak C}_ c(X)\)-separated points. In the special case when X is compact \(T_ 2\), this version reduces to precisely the classical Stone-Weierstrass theorem. A similar very general Stone-Weierstrass theorem for vector lattices in \({\mathfrak C}_ c\) is obtained as a further application.