1 Exponential object

In a category \(\cC\) with binary products, an exponential object from \(A\) to \(B\) is a universal morphism \((B^A, B^A \times A \xto{\epsilon_A} B)\) from \((-) \times A\) to \(B\).

\[\begin{array}{rlclll} \text{exponential:} & (B^A, B^A \times A \xto{\epsilon_A} B) & \equiv & \forall f: C \times A \to B. & \exists! \hat{f}: C \to B^A. & f = \epsilon_A \compL (\hat{f} \times \id_A). \end{array}\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential.svg
  • \(\epsilon_A: B^A \times A \to B\) is called evaluation
  • \(\hat{f}: C \to B^A\) is called the exponential transpose of \(f: C \times A \to B\)
  • \(\bar{g}: C \times A \to B := \epsilon_A \compL (g \times \id_A)\) is the exponential transpose of \(g: C \to B^A\)

\[(-) \times A \adj (-)^A\]

\[\Hom(C \times A, B) \iso \Hom(C, B^A)\]

-- function application
($) :: (a -> b) -> a -> b
-- reverse function application
(&) :: a -> (a -> b) -> b

A cartesian closed category has all finite products and exponentials.

In a cartesian closed category, the functor \((-) \times A\) is a left adjoint, which necessarily preserves all colimits, including all coproducts.

\(\Hom(A, B) \iso \Hom(1, B^A) \iso \Hom(0, B^A)\) All objects are isomorphic.

2 Composition

\[A \xto{f} B \xto{g} C \xto{h} D\]

2.1 Composition

\[\compL: C^B \times B^A \to C^A\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_composition.svg
-- function composition
(.) :: (b -> c) -> (a -> b) -> (a -> c)

2.2 Postcomposition

\[h^B: C^B \to D^B := h \compL (-)\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_postcomposition.svg

\[\begin{aligned} \begin{array}{cccc} (-)^B: & \cC & \to & \cC \\ & C & \mapsto & C^B \\ & C \xto{h} D & \mapsto & C^B \xto{h^B} D^B \end{array} \end{aligned}\]

2.3 Precomposition

\[C^f: C^B \to C^A := (-) \compL f\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_precomposition.svg

\[\begin{aligned} \begin{array}{cccc} C^{(-)}: & \cC\op & \to & \cC \\ & B & \mapsto & C^B \\ & B \xto{f\op} A & \mapsto & C^B \xto{C^f} C^A \end{array} \end{aligned}\]

3 Transpose

3.1 Partial application

\[\partf: C^{A \times B} \times A \to C^B\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_partial.svg

3.2 Currying and uncurrying

\[\curry: C^{A \times B} \iso (C^B)^A :\curry\inv\]

\[\Hom(A \times B, C) \iso \Hom(A, C^B)\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_curry.svg
/assets/diagrams/exponential_uncurry.svg
curry   :: ((a, b) -> c) -> a -> b -> c
uncurry :: (a -> b -> c) -> (a, b) -> c 

4 Product

4.1 Product codomain

\[\angles{p_1^A, p_2^A}: (B \times C)^A \iso B^A \times C^A\]

\[\Hom(A, B \times C) \iso \Hom(A, B) \times \Hom(A, C)\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_product.svg

4.2 Coproduct domain

\[\angles{C^{i_1}, C^{i_2}}: C^{A + B} \iso C^A \times C^B\]

\[\Hom(A + B, C) \iso \Hom(A, C) \times \Hom(B, C)\]

/assets/diagrams/exponential_coproduct.svg

5 Locally cartesian closed category

A locally cartesian closed category \(\cC\) is a category such that every slice category \(\cC \comma C\) is cartesian closed.

A slice category \(\cC \comma C\) of a locally cartesian closed category \(\cC\) is locally cartesian closed.

A slice of a slice \((\cC \comma C) \comma (A \xto{a} C)\) is isomorphic to a slice \(\cC \comma A\).

A locally cartesian closed category \(\cC\) with a terminal object \(1\) is cartesian closed and finitely complete.

Exponentials in \(\cC \comma 1\) are exponentials in \(\cC\). Products in \(\cC \comma C\) are pullbacks in \(\cC\). Pullbacks and a terminal object imply all finite limits.