Towards an axiomatization of the theory of higher categories (Q2576459)

What is an \(n\)-category? There are many definitions and it is yet fundamental to compare them. The point of view of model categories permits to consider clearly this question. Following a program proposed by \textit{P. May}, the present paper works towards an axiomatic characterization, up to Quillen equivalence, of ``the'' category of \(n\)-categories. Here the theory of \((1,\infty)\)-categories is defined (i.e., \(\infty\)-categories such that \(i\)-morphisms are invertibles for \(i> 1\)). As an example of such a structure, one has the complete Segal spaces model category \({\mathcal {CSS}}\). The main result says that an \((1,\infty)\)-category theory is equivalent to \({\mathcal {CSS}}\).