Direct limits and fixed point sets (Q2572070)

Suppose that a monoid \(M\) acts on sets \(X_i\) (that is, we have \(M\)-acts). The author considers monoids \(M\) such that if \(\varinjlim_{i\in I} X_i\) is a direct limit of (left) \(M\)-sets, then the set \((\varinjlim_I X_i)^M\) of its fixed points can be obtained as the direct limit \(\varinjlim_I (X_I^M)\) of the fixed point sets of the given \(M\)-sets. This problem is solved. Replacing \(M\) with a small category \(\mathcal E\), the concept of an \(M\)-set with a functor \({\mathcal E}\to {\mathcal S}et\), and the fixed point set of an action with the limit of a functor, a criterion of a similar nature is proved. The author obtains special criteria when \(\mathcal E\) has only finitely many objects or when \(\mathcal E\) is a (partially) ordered set.