The 2-category theory of quasi-categories (Q2346051)

The category theory has a natural extension (via the nerve functor) to quasi-categories (also called \(\infty\)-categories or weak Kan complexes), a notion introduced by \textit{J. M. Boardman} and \textit{R. M. Vogt} [Homotopy invariant algebraic structures on topological spaces. Lecture Notes in Mathematics. 347. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer-Verlag (1973; Zbl 0285.55012)]. The extended theory into the quasi-categorical context has applications to homotopy theory, homotopical algebra, higher category theory and higher topos theory and a significant work towards its development has been led by \textit{A. Joyal} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 175, No. 1--3, 207--222 (2002; Zbl 1015.18008)], \textit{A. Joyal} and \textit{M. Tierney} [Contemp. Math. 431, 277--326 (2007; Zbl 1138.55016)] and unpublished manuscripts [Quadern 45, Vol II Centre de Reserca Matematica, Barcelona, (2008)]. In this paper, the authors use 2-category theory to develop the category theory of quasi-categories by using a (strict) 2-category of quasi-categories defined as a quotient of the simplicially enriched category of quasi-categories. In this way, they translate simplicial universal properties into 2-categorical ones. Then, their object is `to provide a second generation,\(formal\) category theory of quasi-categories, developed from the ground up'. They affirm that `each definition given here is equivalent to the established one, but we find our development to be more intuitive and the proofs to be simpler'. The results generalise immediately to model categories enriched over quasi-categories.