Residual finiteness in homotopy theory (Q801324)

By analogy with combinatorial group theory the author defines the notion of a (weakly) residually finite space X by the property that for any essential map \(g: W\to X\), where W is a finite complex, there exists a map \(f: X\to Z\) such that fg is again essential, where the total homotopy \(\pi_*Z\) is finite. The main result is a homotopy version of a classical property of finitely generated residually finite groups: if X is weakly residually finite and satisfies some additional finiteness conditions (e.g. X nilpotent with finitely generated homotopy groups) then X is a Hopfian object in the homotopy category. Further examples of residually finite and/or Hopfian spaces are discussed.