A survey of definitions of \(n\)-category
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
zbMATH Open document ID: 0987.18007
author: Tom Leinster
publication date: 2002-02-07T00:00:00Z
full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0107188
full work available at URL: https://eudml.org/doc/121847
full work available at URL: vol10
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 18D05
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 18F99
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 18A99
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 18D50
zbMATH DE Number: 1699521
zbMATH Keywords: weak \(n\)-category
zbMATH Keywords: bicategory
zbMATH Keywords: tricategory
zbMATH Keywords: operad
MaRDI profile type: MaRDI publication profile
arXiv ID: math/0107188
title: A survey of definitions of \(n\)-category
published in: Theory and Applications of Categories
review text: The last five years or so have seen many answers to the question of what should be the best weakening of the notion of \(n\)-category. Each answer has been published with a substantial amount of auxiliary machinery. The goal of the author here is to isolate ten of these definitions, making each one precise and fairly self contained, in a two-page spread. In a further two pages, the way categories and bicategories fit the definition is explained. The reviewer is particularly attracted to the definition the author calls L' which appears here for the first time. The paper concludes with a discussion of history and literature. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe author has provided a valuable service in writing this paper. It is already helping experts understand definitions of others and even clarify their own. It will also help students to enter the topic.
reviewed by: Ross H. Street
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description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1699521