Functor calculus via non-cubes (Q7015706)

The classical functor calculus was developed by Goodwillie in the series of papers [\textit{G. E. Dallal}, Biometrics 44, No. 1, 253--257 (1988; Zbl 0715.62039); \textit{T. G. Goodwillie}, \(K\)-Theory 5, No. 4, 295--332 (1992; Zbl 0776.55008); \textit{T. G. Goodwillie}, Geom. Topol. 7, 645--711 (2003; Zbl 1067.55006)]. The fundamental notion of the theory is that of an \textit{\(n\)-excisive} functor: a functor that sends strongly cocartesian \(n\)-cubical diagrams to cartesian ones. This paper studies versions of Goodwillie's calculus of functors for indexing diagrams other than cubes.\N\NThe synopsis of the paper goes as follows.\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item[\S 2] collects the conventions and notations.\N\N\item[\S 3] define \(\sigma\)-excisive and shapes, giving the construction of the universal excisive approximation and establishing the following theorem.\N\NTheorem 3.45. Let \(\sigma\) be a full shape and \(F\) a functor. Then there is an explicit construction of the universal \(\sigma\)-excisive approximation \(\mathrm{P}_{\sigma}F\).\N\N\item[\S 4] gives conditions for morphisms of shapes to induce maps between their universal excisive approximations.\N\N\item[\S 5] employs these conditions to study shapes and their relations, introducing the notions of free and inane shapes along the way.\N\N\item[\S 6] investigates cubical shapes, establishing the following theorem.\N\NTheorem 6.8. Let \(\sigma\) be a shape with codomain a cube. Then \(\sigma\)-excisive is equivalent to \(n_{\sigma}\)-excisive for a certain natural number \(n_{\sigma}\).\N\N\item[\S 7] constructs the Taylor graph, using the results of the preceding sections to establish the following theorem.\N\NTheorem 7.18. The limits of the Taylor tower and the Taylor graph agree when the latter is restricted to non-inane shapes between finite posets.\N\N\item[Appendix A] recalls the calculus of mates of natural transformations.\N\N\item[Appendix B] recalls a number of \(\infty\)-categorical facts.\N\N\item[Appendix C] gives references or proofs for these and other needed basic facts that are needed but would hinder the flow of the main exposition.\N\N\item[Appendix D] establish various general facts.\N\end{itemize}