Orientals as free weak \(\omega \)-categories (Q2079655)

This paper is conerned with the simplicial approach to the theory of higher-dimensional categories. \textit{R. Street} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 49, 283--335 (1987; Zbl 0661.18005)] realized the simplices as \(\omega\)-categories in the form of \textit{orientals}, leading to a precise formulation of Robert's conjecture claiming that the complicial sets are precisely the nerves of the strict \(\omega\)-categories, which was established by \textit{D. Verity} [Complicial sets characterising the simplicial nerves of strict \(\omega\)-categories. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2008; Zbl 1138.18005)]. \textit{D. R. B. Verity} [Adv. Math. 219, No. 4, 1081--1149 (2008; Zbl 1158.18007); Contemp. Math. 431, 441--467 (2007; Zbl 1137.18005)] initiated the study of \textit{weak complicial sets}, which model \textit{weak} \(\omega\)\textit{-categories}. He constructed a model structure for the homotopy theory of weak complicial sets. The principal objective in this paper is to show that the orientals, originally introduced as the free \textit{strict} \(\omega\)-categories on the simplices, are also the \textit{weak} \(\omega\)-categories on the same generalizing data, exhibiting the complicial nerve of the \(n\)-th oriental \(\mathcal{O}_{n}\) as a fibrant replacement of \(\Delta(n)\) in Verity's aforementioned model structure. This paper is inspired by Steiner's analysis of the orientals [\textit{R. Steiner}, Contemp. Math. 431, 427--439 (2007; Zbl 1130.18001)].