All Questions
540 questions
9
votes
1
answer
889
views
Combinatorics for the action of Virasoro / Kac–Schwarz operators: partition polynomials of free probability theory
In the background sections below, I establish the relations among characterizations of the action of Virasoro / Kac–Schwarz operators of 2D gravity models presented in terms of Laurent series by ...
- 10.5k
70
votes
6
answers
8k
views
third stable homotopy group of spheres via geometry?
It is ''well-known'' that the third stable homotopy group of spheres is cyclic of order $24$. It is also ''well-known'' that the quaternionic Hopf map $\nu:S^7 \to S^4$, an $S^3$-bundle, suspends to a ...
- 20.9k
84
votes
4
answers
22k
views
Do we still need model categories?
One modern POV on model categories is that they are presentations of $(\infty, 1)$-categories (namely, given a model category, you obtain an $\infty$-category by localizing at the category of weak ...
- 25.6k
38
votes
8
answers
6k
views
Why do we need model categories?
I cannot give a good answer to this question. And
2) Why this definition of model category is the right way to give a philosophy of homotopy theory? Why didn't we use any other definition?
3) Has ...
- 1,040
29
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is the Golomb countable connected space topologically rigid?
The Golomb space $\mathbb G$ is the set of positive integers endowed with the topology generated by the base consisting of the arithmetic progressions $a+b\mathbb N_0$ with relatively prime $a,b$ and $...
- 41.9k
48
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Why the "W" in CGWH (compactly generated weakly Hausdorff spaces)?
In his 1967 paper A convenient category of topological spaces,
Norman Steenrod introduced the category CGH of compactly generated Hausdorff spaces
as a good replacement of the category Top topological ...
- 43.2k
43
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Why the Dold-Thom theorem?
Dold-Thom Theorem: $$\pi_i(SP(X))\cong\tilde{H}_i(X)$$
It's pretty miraculous, no? I've seen its proof, where you show that the composition of the functors on the left-side satisfies the axioms of a ...
- 17.5k
19
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What determines a model structure?
It is easy to prove that a model structure is determined by the following classes of maps (determined = two model structures with the mentioned classes in common are equal).
cofibrations and weak ...
- 2,782
5
votes
1
answer
243
views
Terminology for a monoid $H$ s.t. $xy \in H^\times$ only if $x, y \in H^\times$
The title has it all. Is there any consolidated terminology for referring to a (multiplicative) monoid $H$ such that $xy \in H^\times$ (if and) only if $x, y \in H^\times$? Here is a short list of ...
- 10.5k
101
votes
6
answers
15k
views
Is there a high-concept explanation for why "simplicial" leads to "homotopy-theoretic"?
My (limited) understanding is that simplicial methods tend to be used whenever you want some kind of nontrivial homotopy theory -- for instance, to get a nice model structure, you use simplicial sets ...
- 25.6k
51
votes
3
answers
12k
views
Spaces with same homotopy and homology groups that are not homotopy equivalent?
A common caution about Whitehead's theorem is that you need the map between the spaces; it's easy to give examples of spaces with isomorphic homotopy groups that are not homotopy equivalent. (See Are ...
- 10.1k
36
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Higher Topos Theory- what's the moral?
I've often seen Lurie's Higher Topos Theory praised as the next "great" mathematical book. As someone who isn't particularly up-to-date on the state of modern homotopy theory, the book seems ...
27
votes
13
answers
4k
views
Homological algebra for commutative monoids?
Homological algebra for abelian groups is a standard tool in many fields of mathematics. How much carries over to the setting of commutative monoids (with unit)? It seems like there is a notion of ...
- 27.5k
21
votes
7
answers
4k
views
Whitehead for maps
I made the following claim over at the Secret Blogging Seminar, and now I'm not sure it's true:
Let $f: X \to Y$ and $g: X \to Y$ be two maps between finite CW complexes. If f and g induce the same ...
- 156k
8
votes
1
answer
714
views
What is the homotopy category of the sphere spectrum?
Is there a known explicit description of the abelian $2$-group $\mathsf{Ho}(\mathbb{S})\overset{\mathrm{def}}{=}\mathsf{Ho}(QS^0)\cong\Pi_{\leq1}(QS^0)$?
- 11.8k
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is there a "spectral exterior algebra" construction in higher algebra?
Given a ring spectrum $R$ and an $R$-module $E$, we have the spectral symmetric algebra $\mathrm{Sym}_R(E)$ of $E$ over $R$, defined by
$$
\begin{align*}
\mathrm{Sym}_R(E) &\overset{\mathrm{def}}{=...
- 11.8k
2
votes
1
answer
211
views
Terminology for a monoid $(H, \cdot)$ s.t. $ax=a$ or $xa =a$ only if $x$ is a unit
Let $(H, \cdot)$ be a (multiplicative) monoid. Is there any consolidated name for the following Property $\text{(P)}$, or for the class of monoids for which it is satisfied?
$$\text{(P) If }\,xy = x\...
- 10.5k
147
votes
10
answers
16k
views
What non-categorical applications are there of homotopical algebra?
(To be honest, I actually mean something more general than 'homotopical algebra' - topos theory, $\infty$-categories, operads, anything that sounds like its natural home would be on the nLab.)
More ...
125
votes
4
answers
8k
views
What do the stable homotopy groups of spheres say about the combinatorics of finite sets?
The Barratt-Priddy-Quillen(-Segal) theorem says that the following spaces are homotopy equivalent in an (essentially) canonical way:
$\Omega^\infty S^\infty:=\varinjlim~ \Omega^nS^n$
$\mathbb{Z}\...
- 23k
106
votes
4
answers
13k
views
What is the mistake in the proof of the Homotopy hypothesis by Kapranov and Voevodsky?
In 1991, Kapranov and Voevodsky published a proof of a now famously false result, roughly saying that the homotopy category of spaces is equivalent to the homotopy category of strict infinity ...
- 42.4k
80
votes
10
answers
11k
views
What are the uses of the homotopy groups of spheres?
Pete Clark threw down the challenge in his comment to my answer on Why the heck are the homotopy groups of the sphere so damn complicated?:
Have the homotopy groups of spheres ever been applied to ...
- 26.8k
46
votes
5
answers
3k
views
‘Naturally occurring’ $K(\pi, n)$ spaces, for $n \geq 2$
[edited!] Given a group $\pi$ and an integer $n>1$, what are examples of Eilenberg–MacLane spaces $K(\pi, n)$ that can be constructed as "known" manifolds? (Or if not a manifold, say some ...
- 2,734
46
votes
8
answers
11k
views
Non-examples of model structures, that fail for subtle/surprising reasons?
An often-cited principle of good mathematical exposition is that a definition should always come with a few examples and a few non-examples to help the learner get an intuition for where the concept's ...
- 21.3k
44
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Integral cohomology (stable) operations
There have been a couple questions on MO, and elsewhere, that have made me curious about integral or rational cohomology operations. I feel pretty familiar with the classical Steenrod algebra and its ...
- 3,726
42
votes
5
answers
4k
views
What are the main structure theorems on finitely generated commutative monoids?
I should read J. C. Rosales and P. A. García-Sánchez's book Finitely Generated Commutative Monoids and L. Redei's book The Theory of Finitely Generated Commutative Semigroups. I haven't. But here's ...
- 22.3k
41
votes
1
answer
10k
views
Why not a Roadmap for Homotopy Theory and Spectra?
MO has seen plenty of roadmap questions but oddly enough I haven't seen one for homotopy theory. As an algebraic geometer who's fond of derived categories I would like some guidance on how to build up ...
- 1,162
41
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Are there any "homotopical spaces"?
This is a somewhat vague question; I don't know how "soft" it is, and even if it makes sense.
[Edit: in the light of the comments, we can state my question in a formally precise way, that is: "Is ...
- 23.3k
36
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Defining $SU(n)$ in HoTT
From a recent answer by Mike Shulman, I read:
"HoTT is (among other things) a foundational theory, on roughly the same ontological level as ZFC, whose basic objects can be regarded as $\infty$-...
- 43.2k
35
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What is the relationship between connective and nonconnective derived algebraic geometry?
"Derived algebraic geometry" usually means the study of geometry locally modeled on "$Spec R$" where $R$ is a connective $E_\infty$ ring spectrum (perhaps with further restrictions). Why "connective", ...
- 63.9k
31
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Why is the motivic category defined over the site of smooth schemes only?
Fix a base scheme $S$. Stable and unstable motivic categories over $S$ are defined as certain categories of higher stacks on the Nisnevich site $Sm_S$ of smooth schemes over $S$. Why smooth?
As a ...
- 63.9k
27
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Failure of smoothing theory for topological 4-manifolds
Smoothing theory fails for topological 4-manifolds, in that a smooth structure on a topological 4-manifold $M$ is not equivalent to a vector bundle structure on the tangent microbundle of $M$. Is ...
- 967
25
votes
2
answers
1k
views
The number of polynomials on a finite group
A function $f:X\to X$ on a group $X$ is called a polynomial if there exist $n\in\mathbb N=\{1,2,3,\dots\}$ and elements $a_0,a_1,\dots,a_n\in X$ such that $f(x)=a_0xa_1x\cdots xa_n$ for all $x\in X$. ...
- 41.9k
24
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How much of homotopy theory can be done using only finite topological spaces?
Let $X$ be a finite simplicial complex and let $B$ denote the set of barycenters of the simplices of $X$. McCord constructed a $T_0$ topology on $B$ with the property that the inclusion $B \to X$ is ...
- 29.2k
23
votes
5
answers
4k
views
A homotopy commutative diagram that cannot be strictified
By a "homotopy commutative diagram," I mean a functor $F: \mathcal{I} \to \mathrm{Ho}(\mathrm{Top})$ to the homotopy category of spaces. By a "strictification," I mean a lifting of such a functor to ...
- 25.6k
23
votes
1
answer
954
views
A combinatorial approximation functor sSet->qCat
Let $sSet_J$ denote the category of simplicial sets equipped with the Joyal model structure. Simply by the fact that $sSet_J$ is locally presentable and its class of anodynes ($\neq \mathbf{Cof} \cap ...
- 19.6k
19
votes
3
answers
3k
views
When do colimits agree with homotopy colimits?
I'm wondering about when the colimit and the homotopy colimit agree with diagrams of simplicial sets. I know that hocolim$(F)=$colim$(F_c)$ where $F_c$ is the cofibrant replacement of $F$. However, it ...
- 193
19
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Computing homotopies
Oftentimes, in the standard algebraic topology books (May, Switzer, Whithead, for instance), there are tricky little proofs that depend on proving that two maps are homotopic. This is comparable to ...
- 19.6k
18
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What is a homotopy between $L_\infty$-algebra morphisms
A $L_\infty$-algebra can be defined in many different ways. One common way, that
gives the 'right' kind of morphisms, is that a $L_\infty$-algebra is a graded cocommutative and coassociative ...
- 2,074
16
votes
2
answers
934
views
Counter-example to the existence of left Bousfield localization of combinatorial model category
Is there any known example of a combinatorial model category $C$ together with a set of map $S$ such that the left Bousefield localization of $C$ at $S$ does not exists ?
It is well known to exists ...
- 42.4k
15
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Obstruction theory for non-simple spaces
I'm looking for a good reference that has a detailed treatment of obstruction theory in the case where the target space is not simple. The specific situation I am interested in involves lifting a map ...
- 7,237
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Difficulties with descent data as homotopy limit of image of Čech nerve
Apologies if this question is inappropriate for MO. It is not a research level question in any of the topics it addresses, I just don't see how a novice can go about answering it alone (I've tried ...
- 10.5k
14
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Does the right adjoint of a Quillen equivalence preserve homotopy colimits?
Call a diagram $E$ in a model category a homotopy colimit diagram if the morphism $$\mathrm{hocolim}~E\to \mathrm{colim}~ E$$ is a weak equivalence. A homotopy colimit is defined as the categorical ...
- 325
13
votes
1
answer
1k
views
For what sets $X$ do there exist a pair of functions from $X$ to $X$ with the identity being the only function that commutes with both?
It is not too difficult to show that if $X$ is an infinite set, then there exists a two-element subset of the group $\operatorname{Sym}(X)$ with trivial centralizer iff $\lvert X\rvert \leq \lvert\...
- 328
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Categories on which one can determine all model structures?
Famously, there are exactly nine model structures on the category of sets, which are detailed here. In this case, one can exhaustively determine all six weak factorization systems and then see which ...
- 63.9k
11
votes
2
answers
543
views
Are cofibrations accessible?
The category of fibrations in a combinatorial model category is accessible, accessibly embedded in the arrow category. How about the cofibrations?
More generally, let $C$ be a locally presentable ...
- 63.9k
9
votes
2
answers
991
views
Reference for homotopy colimit = total complex
I'm looking for a reference for the following fact:
take a simplicial chain complex $ X:\Delta^{op}\to Ch_{\geq 0}(\mathcal A)$ for $\mathcal A$ a nice abelian category (say, cocomplete with enough ...
- 15.9k
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
On combinatorial and cellular model categories and infinity categories
I am looking for a counterexample. Let me first give the set-up. When you work with model categories, it is extremely common to assume they are cofibrantly generated. For me, this means the definition ...
- 30.3k
9
votes
4
answers
1k
views
When $X \times Y \cong X \times Z$ implies $Y \cong Z$ (in the category of finite topological spaces)
The title has it all. I'm looking for a reference to the following:
Q. Let $X, Y, Z$ be finite, non-empty (topological) spaces. When does $X \times Y \cong X \times Z$ imply $Y \cong Z$ (in the ...
- 10.5k
7
votes
0
answers
268
views
Generalising supercommutativity as a grading by the $1$-truncated sphere spectrum
A discussion that has been going recently is that supersymmetry corresponds to grading over the sphere spectrum, coming from an insight due to Kapranov.
To formalise such a statement, one needs a ...
- 11.8k
5
votes
1
answer
597
views
Can every cancellative invertible-free monoid be embedded in a group?
A monoid is invertible-free if $xy=1$ implies $x=y=1$ for all $x,y$.
Question: Can every cancellative invertible-free monoid be embedded in a group?
I'm fairly sure that a quotient of the free product ...
