Uniformly constructive monads (Q1174504)

The authors, inspired by some computer problem, introduce and examine a family of categories which give some finite approximations to the set \(\mathbb{N}\) of natural numbers. Let be \(m\in\mathbb{N}\) (for notational convenience the authors use \(m=10)\). \(\mathbb{N}^1_m\) is the category of algebras with constants 0, \(e\) (overflow) and a unary operation \(s_0\) (successor) satisfying the axioms \(es_0=e\) and \(as^m_0=e\) for all \(a\). The objects of the category \(\mathbb{N}^2_m\) are the algebras with the same constants, operation and axioms as in \(\mathbb{N}^1_m\) plus a partially defined unary operation \(t_1\) defined on \(a\) when \(as_0=e\) and satisfying the axioms \(et_1=e\) and \(a\underline t^m_1=e\) for all \(a\), where \(a\underline t_1\) is \(t_1\) applied to \(as^i_0\) for \(i\) the smallest number \(0\leq i\leq m-1\) with \(as_0^{i+1}=e\). The categories \(\mathbb{N}^n_m\) are defined inductively. The objects of the categories \(\mathbb{N}^n_m(+)\) and \(\mathbb{N}^n_m(+,\cdot)\) \((n=1,2)\) are the algebras as in \(\mathbb{N}^n_m\) but with additional operations of addition (or addition and multiplication) satisfying suitable axioms. Among other things the authors describe an adjunction between \(\mathbb{N}^1_{10}\) and \(\mathbb{N}^2_{10}\) as well as adjunctions between \(\mathbb{N}^n_{10}\) and \(\mathbb{N}^1_{10^n}\). Initial objects are discussed and an alternative description of these categories as categories of models over suitable sketches in the category \textbf{Set} is presented.