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Suppose is a vector space and its cofree coalgebra with a universal morphism . Lets identify for a moment with its underlaying vector space and take the cofree coalgebra . Then
as cofree coalgebras.
(To see that observe that there is a universal morphism and consequently a map . To see that it is a universal morphism suppose is a coalgebra and a linear map. Then there is a unique coalgebra map with . In particular is a linear map and since is the cofree coalgebra of there is a unique coalgebra map with and .)
In that case I would like to say, that the cofree coalgebra functor is ’idempotent’. But of course this can’t be the right term since it is not an endofunctor.
Moreover the proof is very basic and not at all specific to coalgebra. The only additional assumption (beside the cofreeness) is that the cofree object has an underlying object in the same category as the original object. Consequently this kind of ’idempotence’ could be a property of many cofree functors.
So my question: Is this a general property of cofree functors? And what is an adequate term for that kind of ’idempotence’?
this can’t be the right term since it is not an endofunctor.
If it’s not an endofunctor, then you can’t compose it with itself, as you did!
So you are making a mistake somewhere. Do you see where? Hint: around the words “for a moment”.
I didn’t it exactly because I forgot the coalgebra structure. But that is not a mistake. I just defined as the cofree coalgebra of the vector space and showed that this coalgebra is the same as the coalgebra .
But from your comment I guess, that the cofree coalgebra (lets call it of the COFREE COALGEBRA is not equivalent to … ?
What I showed is just that the cofree coalgebra of the VECTORSPACE is equivalent to . Hence the underlying vector space structures of and are equivalent while (maybe) the coalgebra structures differs. Can we say that?
What I mean is that you are looking not just at the free functor from vector space to coalgebras, but secretly also at the forgetful functor back from coalgebras to their underlying vector spaces.
While you did notice that you shoul “identitfy for a moment with its underlying vector space” you need indeed to do that systematically, not just “for the moment”.
Precisely:
You are really looking at a (free functor forgetful functor)-adjunction
and the operation that you are secretly applying is the composite of both, which is an endofunctor (namely the monad induced by the adjunction)
Yes ok I see. But a minor thing: it is forgetful functor cofree functor.
I believe that you have an idempotent comonad.
Sure, my variance was the opposite.
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