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I thought about similar issues a few years ago (and recently --- yesterday) , but in a slightly different context --- after the excellent answer by Todd Trimble to my question Completion of a categoryCompletion of a category, I wondered if there was a general 2-categorical setting that could explain such constructions (I was mainly interested in carrying to a 2-categorical setting the highly related concept of Day convolution).

I thought about similar issues a few years ago (and recently --- yesterday) , but in a slightly different context --- after the excellent answer by Todd Trimble to my question Completion of a category, I wondered if there was a general 2-categorical setting that could explain such constructions (I was mainly interested in carrying to a 2-categorical setting the highly related concept of Day convolution).

I thought about similar issues a few years ago (and recently --- yesterday) , but in a slightly different context --- after the excellent answer by Todd Trimble to my question Completion of a category, I wondered if there was a general 2-categorical setting that could explain such constructions (I was mainly interested in carrying to a 2-categorical setting the highly related concept of Day convolution).

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Example: [Yoneda triangle along Yoneda embedding] Let $F \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbb{B}$ be a functor between locally small categories (or more generally, a locally small functor). There is also an inclusion $y_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$. One may easily verify that these data may be always extended to the Yoneda triangle with $G(-) = \hom(F(=), -) \colon \mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ --- which reassembles the fact that every functor always has a "distributional" right adjoint. The same is true for internal categories and for categories enriched in a complete and cocomplete symmetric monoidal closed category, and generally (almost by definition) for any 2-category equipped with a Yoneda structure.

Example: [2-powers from Yoneda triangle] The motivating example is to start with a 2-functor $J \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{D}$$J \colon \mathbb{W} \rightarrow \mathbb{D}$ equipping a 2-category $\mathbb{W}$ with proarrows, and an extension $Y \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$$Y \colon \mathbb{W} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ embedding "small objects" into "locally small" (or large) objects in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. Then to extend these data to the Yoneda triangle, we have to find a functor $P \colon \mathbb{D} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ representing a proarrow $A \nrightarrow B$ as a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$, and a natural transformation $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P\circ J$ playing the role of a familly of Yoneda morphisms $\eta_A \colon A \rightarrow P(A)$.

The archetypical situation is when we take $\mathbb{W} = \mathbf{cat}$, $\overline{\mathbb{W}} = \mathbf{Cat}$, $\mathbb{D} = \mathbf{Dist}$, where $\mathbf{cat}$ is the 2-category of small categories, $\mathbf{Cat}$ is the 2-category of locally small categories, and $\mathbf{Dist}$ is the bicategory of distributors between small categories. Then $J \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Dist}$, $Y \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbb{Cat}$$Y \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ are the usual embeddings, $P \colon \mathbf{Dist} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ is the covarinat 2-power pseudofunctor $\mathbf{Set}^{(-)^{op}}$ defined on distributors via left Kan extensions, and $\eta_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ is the Yoneda embedding of a small category $\mathbb{A}$.

One may also go in the other direction --- starting from the composition $p \circ j$$P \circ J$ satisfying monoidal-like laws and try to find a right or left resolution in the category of (right/left) modules over monoid on $p \circ j$$P \circ J$. If I am not mistaken, the left resolution (the Eilenberg-Moore object) of $P \circ J$ for ordinary categoriesin our archetypical situation consists of the category of cocomplete categories and cocontinous functors and the right resolution (the Kleisli object) consists of the bicategory of distributors (i.e. the category of free cocomplete categories and cocontinous functors).

(BTW: perhaps the concept of a 2-topos should be defined as a Yoneda monoidal bi-triangle induced by the embedding of a 2-category of small objects into a category of bigger objects relatively to a category of "relations" in $\mathbb{w}$$\mathbb{W}$, which, for some purposes may be defined as the 2-category of discrete fibred spans, and for another purposes may be defined as the 2-category of codiscrete cofibred cospans).

Example: [Yoneda triangle along Yoneda embedding] Let $F \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbb{B}$ be a functor between locally small categories (or more generally, a locally small functor). There is also an inclusion $y_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$. One may easily verify that these data may be always extended to the Yoneda triangle with $G(-) = \hom(F(=), -) \colon \mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ --- which reassembles the fact that every functor always has a "distributional" right adjoint. The same is true for internal categories and for categories enriched in a cocomplete symmetric monoidal closed category, and generally (almost by definition) for any 2-category equipped with a Yoneda structure.

Example: [2-powers from Yoneda triangle] The motivating example is to start with a 2-functor $J \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{D}$ equipping a 2-category $\mathbb{W}$ with proarrows, and an extension $Y \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ embedding "small objects" into "locally small" (or large) objects in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. Then to extend these data to the Yoneda triangle, we have to find a functor $P \colon \mathbb{D} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ representing a proarrow $A \nrightarrow B$ as a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$, and a natural transformation $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P\circ J$ playing the role of a familly of Yoneda morphisms $\eta_A \colon A \rightarrow P(A)$.

The archetypical situation is when we take $\mathbb{W} = \mathbf{cat}$, $\overline{\mathbb{W}} = \mathbf{Cat}$, $\mathbb{D} = \mathbf{Dist}$, where $\mathbf{cat}$ is the 2-category of small categories, $\mathbf{Cat}$ is the 2-category of locally small categories, and $\mathbf{Dist}$ is the bicategory of distributors between small categories. Then $J \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Dist}$, $Y \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbb{Cat}$ are the usual embeddings, $P \colon \mathbf{Dist} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ is the covarinat 2-power pseudofunctor $\mathbf{Set}^{(-)^{op}}$ defined on distributors via left Kan extensions, and $\eta_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ is the Yoneda embedding of a small category $\mathbb{A}$.

One may also go in the other direction --- starting from the composition $p \circ j$ satisfying monoidal-like laws and try to find a right or left resolution in the category of (right/left) modules over monoid on $p \circ j$. If I am not mistaken, the left resolution (the Eilenberg-Moore object) of $P \circ J$ for ordinary categories consists of the category of cocomplete categories and cocontinous functors and the right resolution (the Kleisli object) consists of the bicategory of distributors (i.e. the category of free cocomplete categories and cocontinous functors).

(BTW: perhaps the concept of a 2-topos should be defined as a Yoneda monoidal bi-triangle induced by the embedding of a 2-category of small objects into a category of bigger objects relatively to a category of "relations" in $\mathbb{w}$, which, for some purposes may be defined as the 2-category of discrete fibred spans, and for another purposes may be defined as the 2-category of codiscrete cofibred cospans).

Example: [Yoneda triangle along Yoneda embedding] Let $F \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbb{B}$ be a functor between locally small categories (or more generally, a locally small functor). There is also an inclusion $y_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$. One may easily verify that these data may be always extended to the Yoneda triangle with $G(-) = \hom(F(=), -) \colon \mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ --- which reassembles the fact that every functor always has a "distributional" right adjoint. The same is true for internal categories and for categories enriched in a complete and cocomplete symmetric monoidal closed category, and generally (almost by definition) for any 2-category equipped with a Yoneda structure.

Example: [2-powers from Yoneda triangle] The motivating example is to start with a 2-functor $J \colon \mathbb{W} \rightarrow \mathbb{D}$ equipping a 2-category $\mathbb{W}$ with proarrows, and an extension $Y \colon \mathbb{W} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ embedding "small objects" into "locally small" (or large) objects in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. Then to extend these data to the Yoneda triangle, we have to find a functor $P \colon \mathbb{D} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ representing a proarrow $A \nrightarrow B$ as a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$, and a natural transformation $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P\circ J$ playing the role of a familly of Yoneda morphisms $\eta_A \colon A \rightarrow P(A)$.

The archetypical situation is when we take $\mathbb{W} = \mathbf{cat}$, $\overline{\mathbb{W}} = \mathbf{Cat}$, $\mathbb{D} = \mathbf{Dist}$, where $\mathbf{cat}$ is the 2-category of small categories, $\mathbf{Cat}$ is the 2-category of locally small categories, and $\mathbf{Dist}$ is the bicategory of distributors between small categories. Then $J \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Dist}$, $Y \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ are the usual embeddings, $P \colon \mathbf{Dist} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ is the covarinat 2-power pseudofunctor $\mathbf{Set}^{(-)^{op}}$ defined on distributors via left Kan extensions, and $\eta_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ is the Yoneda embedding of a small category $\mathbb{A}$.

One may also go in the other direction --- starting from the composition $P \circ J$ satisfying monoidal-like laws and try to find a right or left resolution in the category of (right/left) modules over monoid on $P \circ J$. If I am not mistaken, the left resolution (the Eilenberg-Moore object) of $P \circ J$ in our archetypical situation consists of the category of cocomplete categories and cocontinous functors and the right resolution (the Kleisli object) consists of the bicategory of distributors (i.e. the category of free cocomplete categories and cocontinous functors).

(BTW: perhaps the concept of a 2-topos should be defined as a Yoneda monoidal bi-triangle induced by the embedding of a 2-category of small objects into a category of bigger objects relatively to a category of "relations" in $\mathbb{W}$, which, for some purposes may be defined as the 2-category of discrete fibred spans, and for another purposes may be defined as the 2-category of codiscrete cofibred cospans).

Expanded the example of 2-powers
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Particularly, if $Y$ is dense, than $G$ is automaticallycanonically a pointwise Kan extension --- from density we have: $$G(-) \approx \int^{A\in\mathbb{A}} \hom(Y(A), G(-)) \times Y(A)$$ and using the formula for an absolute lifting: $$G(-) \approx \int^{A\in\mathbb{A}} \hom(F(A), -) \times Y(A)$$

The essence of the above example is that because the Yoneda functor $y_\mathbb{B} \colon \mathbb{B}\rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}}$ is a full and faithful embedding, functors $F\colon\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbb{B}$ may be thought as of distributors $$y_\mathbb{B} \circ F = \hom(=, F(-))$$ Every distributor arisen in this way has a right adjoint distributor $\hom(F(=), -)$ in the bicategory of distributors. The distributor $\hom(F(=), -)$ has actually the type $\mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$, which is the only think that may prevent $F$ of having the ordinary (functorial) right adjoint $G \colon \mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbb{A}$. Recall --- just recall, that we say that $F$ has a right adjoint, if there exists $G$ such that: $$y_\mathbb{A} \circ G \approx \hom(F(=), -)$$ which means: $$\hom(=, G(-)) \approx \hom(F(=), -)$$

Example: [2-topospowers from Yoneda traingle]triangle] The motivating example is to start with a 2-functor $J \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$$J \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{D}$ equipping a 2-category $\mathbb{w}$$\mathbb{W}$ with proarrows, and an extension $Y \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{W}$$Y \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ embedding "small objects" into "locally small" (or large) objects in $\mathbb{W}$$\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. For simplicityThen to extend these data to the Yoneda triangle, we may think ofhave to find a functor $\mathbb{w}$$P \colon \mathbb{D} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ representing a proarrow $A \nrightarrow B$ as a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$, and a natural transformation $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P\circ J$ playing the role of a familly of Yoneda morphisms $\eta_A \colon A \rightarrow P(A)$.

The archetypical situation is when we take $\mathbb{W} = \mathbf{cat}$, $\overline{\mathbb{W}} = \mathbf{Cat}$, $\mathbb{D} = \mathbf{Dist}$, where $\mathbf{cat}$ is the 2-category of small categories, $\mathbb{W}$ as of$\mathbf{Cat}$ is the 2-category of locally small categories, and $\mathbb{R}$ as of$\mathbf{Dist}$ is the bicategory of distributors between small categories. Then $J \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Dist}$, $Y \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbb{Cat}$ are the Yoneda triangle on these data consistsusual embeddings, (additionally) of a functor$P \colon \mathbf{Dist} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ is the covarinat 2-power pseudofunctor $P \colon \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{W}$ representing a proarrow$\mathbf{Set}^{(-)^{op}}$ defined on distributors via left Kan extensions, and $A \nrightarrow B$ as$\eta_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ is the Yoneda embedding of a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ insmall category $\mathbb{W}$$\mathbb{A}$.

In our example, this gives a usual representationWe know that there are isomorphisms of a distributor between small categories: $$\hom_{\mathbf{Dist}}(\mathbb{A}, \mathbb{B}) \approx \hom_{\mathbf{Cat}}(\mathbb{A}, \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}})$$ where $\mathbb{A} \nrightarrow \mathbb{B}$ as$\mathbb{A}$ and $\mathbb{B}$ are small. Therefore, to show that $P$ is a functor $\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}}$(bi)pointwise left Kan extension it suffices to show that $Y$ is 2-dense. And the natural transformationHowever, $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P \circ J$ from$Y$ is obviously 2-dense, because the Yoneda triangle consiststhe terminal category is a 2-dense subcategory of usual Yoneda embeddings $\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$$\mathbf{Cat}$ and $Y$ is fully faithful.

The point is that in most situations $\mathbb{R}$$\mathbb{D}$ is a monoidal bi-(bi)category, where the monoidal structure is inherited from a cartesianthe closed structure on $\mathbb{w}$$\mathbb{W}$. Moreover, functors and the natural transformation constituting the Yoneda triangle are (lax)monoidal. This means that monoids in $\mathbb{w}$$\mathbb{W}$ are mapped to the (pro)monoids in $\mathbb{R}$$\mathbb{D}$ which are mapped to monoids in $\mathbb{W}$$\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. If I am not mistaken this observation leads to an abstract characterisation of the concept of the Day convolution (and in a similar manner one may try to define a Dedekind-MacNeille completion of an object).

In our archetypical situation, a category $\mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{B}$ is mapped by $P$ to $\mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op} \times \mathbb{B}^{op}}$ and the missing morphisms making the unit of the triangle lax monoidal: $$\mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}} \times \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op} \times \mathbb{B}^{op}}$$ is given by the convolution of the distributional identity $\mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{B} \nrightarrow \mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{B}$: $$\langle F, G \rangle \mapsto \int^{A \in \mathbb{A}, B \in \mathbb{B}} F(A) \times G(B) \times \hom(-, A) \times \hom(=, B) = F(-) \times G(=)$$ Now, a promonoidal category $M \colon \mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{A} \nrightarrow \mathbb{A}$ is mapped by $P$ to: $$H \mapsto \int^{\langle A, B \rangle \in \mathbb{A}\times \mathbb{A}} H(A, B) \times M(-, A, B)$$ and by composing it with the above map: $$\langle F, G \rangle \mapsto \int^{\langle A, B \rangle \in \mathbb{A}\times \mathbb{A}} F(A) \times G(B) \times M(-, A, B)$$ we obtain the well-known formula for convolution.

Particularly, if $Y$ is dense, than $G$ is automatically a pointwise Kan extension --- from density we have: $$G(-) \approx \int^{A\in\mathbb{A}} \hom(Y(A), G(-)) \times Y(A)$$ and using the formula for an absolute lifting: $$G(-) \approx \int^{A\in\mathbb{A}} \hom(F(A), -) \times Y(A)$$

The essence of the above example is that because the Yoneda functor $y_\mathbb{B} \colon \mathbb{B}\rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}}$ is a full and faithful embedding, functors $F\colon\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbb{B}$ may be thought as distributors $$y_\mathbb{B} \circ F = \hom(=, F(-))$$ Every distributor arisen in this way has a right adjoint distributor $\hom(F(=), -)$ in the bicategory of distributors. The distributor $\hom(F(=), -)$ has actually the type $\mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$, which is the only think that may prevent $F$ of having the ordinary (functorial) right adjoint $G \colon \mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbb{A}$. Recall, that we say that $F$ has a right adjoint, if there exists $G$ such that: $$y_\mathbb{A} \circ G \approx \hom(F(=), -)$$ which means: $$\hom(=, G(-)) \approx \hom(F(=), -)$$

Example: [2-topos from Yoneda traingle] The motivating example is to start with a 2-functor $J \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ equipping a 2-category $\mathbb{w}$ with proarrows, and an extension $Y \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{W}$ embedding "small objects" into "locally small" (or large) objects in $\mathbb{W}$. For simplicity, we may think of $\mathbb{w}$ as of the 2-category of small categories, $\mathbb{W}$ as of the 2-category of locally small categories, and $\mathbb{R}$ as of the bicategory of distributors between small categories. Then the Yoneda triangle on these data consists (additionally) of a functor $P \colon \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{W}$ representing a proarrow $A \nrightarrow B$ as a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ in $\mathbb{W}$.

In our example, this gives a usual representation of a distributor between small categories $\mathbb{A} \nrightarrow \mathbb{B}$ as a functor $\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}}$. And the natural transformation $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P \circ J$ from the Yoneda triangle consists of usual Yoneda embeddings $\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$.

The point is that in most situations $\mathbb{R}$ is a monoidal bi-category, where the monoidal structure is inherited from a cartesian closed structure on $\mathbb{w}$. Moreover, functors and the natural transformation constituting the Yoneda triangle are (lax)monoidal. This means that monoids in $\mathbb{w}$ are mapped to the (pro)monoids in $\mathbb{R}$ which are mapped to monoids in $\mathbb{W}$. If I am not mistaken this observation leads to an abstract characterisation of the concept of the Day convolution (and in a similar manner one may try to define a Dedekind-MacNeille completion of an object).

Particularly, if $Y$ is dense, than $G$ is canonically a pointwise Kan extension --- from density we have: $$G(-) \approx \int^{A\in\mathbb{A}} \hom(Y(A), G(-)) \times Y(A)$$ and using the formula for an absolute lifting: $$G(-) \approx \int^{A\in\mathbb{A}} \hom(F(A), -) \times Y(A)$$

The essence of the above example is that because the Yoneda functor $y_\mathbb{B} \colon \mathbb{B}\rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}}$ is a full and faithful embedding, functors $F\colon\mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbb{B}$ may be thought as of distributors $$y_\mathbb{B} \circ F = \hom(=, F(-))$$ Every distributor arisen in this way has a right adjoint distributor $\hom(F(=), -)$ in the bicategory of distributors. The distributor $\hom(F(=), -)$ has actually the type $\mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$, which is the only think that may prevent $F$ of having the ordinary (functorial) right adjoint $G \colon \mathbb{B} \rightarrow \mathbb{A}$ --- just recall, that we say that $F$ has a right adjoint, if there exists $G$ such that: $$y_\mathbb{A} \circ G \approx \hom(F(=), -)$$ which means: $$\hom(=, G(-)) \approx \hom(F(=), -)$$

Example: [2-powers from Yoneda triangle] The motivating example is to start with a 2-functor $J \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \mathbb{D}$ equipping a 2-category $\mathbb{W}$ with proarrows, and an extension $Y \colon \mathbb{w} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ embedding "small objects" into "locally small" (or large) objects in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. Then to extend these data to the Yoneda triangle, we have to find a functor $P \colon \mathbb{D} \rightarrow \overline{\mathbb{W}}$ representing a proarrow $A \nrightarrow B$ as a morphism $A \rightarrow P(B)$ in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$, and a natural transformation $\eta \colon Y \rightarrow P\circ J$ playing the role of a familly of Yoneda morphisms $\eta_A \colon A \rightarrow P(A)$.

The archetypical situation is when we take $\mathbb{W} = \mathbf{cat}$, $\overline{\mathbb{W}} = \mathbf{Cat}$, $\mathbb{D} = \mathbf{Dist}$, where $\mathbf{cat}$ is the 2-category of small categories, $\mathbf{Cat}$ is the 2-category of locally small categories, and $\mathbf{Dist}$ is the bicategory of distributors between small categories. Then $J \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbf{Dist}$, $Y \colon \mathbf{cat} \rightarrow \mathbb{Cat}$ are the usual embeddings, $P \colon \mathbf{Dist} \rightarrow \mathbf{Cat}$ is the covarinat 2-power pseudofunctor $\mathbf{Set}^{(-)^{op}}$ defined on distributors via left Kan extensions, and $\eta_\mathbb{A} \colon \mathbb{A} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}}$ is the Yoneda embedding of a small category $\mathbb{A}$.

We know that there are isomorphisms of categories: $$\hom_{\mathbf{Dist}}(\mathbb{A}, \mathbb{B}) \approx \hom_{\mathbf{Cat}}(\mathbb{A}, \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}})$$ where $\mathbb{A}$ and $\mathbb{B}$ are small. Therefore, to show that $P$ is a (bi)pointwise left Kan extension it suffices to show that $Y$ is 2-dense. However, $Y$ is obviously 2-dense, because the the terminal category is a 2-dense subcategory of $\mathbf{Cat}$ and $Y$ is fully faithful.

The point is that in most situations $\mathbb{D}$ is a monoidal (bi)category, where the monoidal structure is inherited from the closed structure on $\mathbb{W}$. Moreover, functors and the natural transformation constituting the Yoneda triangle are (lax)monoidal. This means that monoids in $\mathbb{W}$ are mapped to the (pro)monoids in $\mathbb{D}$ which are mapped to monoids in $\overline{\mathbb{W}}$. If I am not mistaken this observation leads to an abstract characterisation of the concept of the Day convolution (and in a similar manner one may try to define a Dedekind-MacNeille completion of an object).

In our archetypical situation, a category $\mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{B}$ is mapped by $P$ to $\mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op} \times \mathbb{B}^{op}}$ and the missing morphisms making the unit of the triangle lax monoidal: $$\mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op}} \times \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{B}^{op}} \rightarrow \mathbf{Set}^{\mathbb{A}^{op} \times \mathbb{B}^{op}}$$ is given by the convolution of the distributional identity $\mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{B} \nrightarrow \mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{B}$: $$\langle F, G \rangle \mapsto \int^{A \in \mathbb{A}, B \in \mathbb{B}} F(A) \times G(B) \times \hom(-, A) \times \hom(=, B) = F(-) \times G(=)$$ Now, a promonoidal category $M \colon \mathbb{A} \times \mathbb{A} \nrightarrow \mathbb{A}$ is mapped by $P$ to: $$H \mapsto \int^{\langle A, B \rangle \in \mathbb{A}\times \mathbb{A}} H(A, B) \times M(-, A, B)$$ and by composing it with the above map: $$\langle F, G \rangle \mapsto \int^{\langle A, B \rangle \in \mathbb{A}\times \mathbb{A}} F(A) \times G(B) \times M(-, A, B)$$ we obtain the well-known formula for convolution.

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