The algebra of directed complexes (Q1320333)

An explicit construction of the \(n\)-category freely generated by the \(n\)- simplex was first given by the reviewer [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 49, 283- 335 (1987; Zbl 0661.18005)]. Three different approaches to abstracting the notion of simplex, in such a way as to allow a generalized free \(n\)- category construction, have been developed by \textit{A. J. Power} [Lect. Notes Math. 1488, 326-358 (1991; Zbl 0736.18004)], \textit{M. Johnson} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 62, No. 3, 211-225 (1989; Zbl 0694.18007)], and the reviewer [Cah. Topol. Géom. Différ. Catégoriques 32, No. 4, 315-343 (1991; Zbl 0760.18011)]. Some applications are to non-abelian cohomology and higher-order pasting. The present paper provides an elegant fourth approach which incorporates many of the good aspects of the previous works together with ideas of Aitchison, Al-Agl and Steiner, Kapranov and Voevodsky, and Pratt. The author defines a directed precomplex to be a set \(K\), graded over the natural numbers, with functions \(\partial^ -\), \(\partial^ + : K_ n \to P (K_{n - 1})\) (where \(P(X)\) denotes the power set of \(X)\). (This is also the basic structure underlying the reviewer's ``parity complexes''.) One of the author's really clever ideas (not to be reproduced here) is the definition of \(n\)-source and \(n\)-target functions \(\partial_ n^ -\), \(\partial^ +_ n : P(K) \to P (K^{(n)})\) (where \(K^{(n)}\) is the \(n\)-skeleton of \(K)\) defined on all subsets \(x,y\) of \(K\). When \(x \cap y = \partial_ n^ +x = \partial_ n^ - y\), the \(n\)-composite of \(x,y\) is defined to be \(x \cup y\) (as for Johnson). All later constructions are in terms of these, including the notion of directed complex itself. The set \(G(K)\) of globelike subsets of a directed complex \(K\) almost becomes an \(m\)-category with the above source, target and composition operations; as to be expected, the compositions are not generally defined as often as they should be. With some loop freeness restrictions, free \(m\)-categories can be obtained. Directed complexes are shown to be closed under suspension, product and join; the previously mentioned loop freeness does not survive these constructions, but a stronger (and still useful) one does.