A general theory of self-similarity (Q626101)

In the paper, the term self-similarity is used in the following sense. The interval \([0,1]\), for example, is called self-similar because it is homeomorphic to a gluing-together of two copies of itself. Other familiar spaces have similar universal properties; for example, the topological simplices \(\delta^n \) may be defined as the universal family of spaces admitting barycentric subdivision. A general theory of such a universal characterization is developed. This can also be regarded as a categorification of the theory of simultanous linear equations. The author studies systems of equations in which the variables represent spaces and each space is equated to a gluing-together of the others. He seeks the universal family of spaces satisfying the equations. He answers all the basic questions about such systems, giving an explicit condition equivalent to the existence of a universal solution, and an explicit construction of it whenever it does exist.