- Higher-dimensional algebra
"This article is about" higher-dimensional algebra and supercategories, "respectively, in generalized
category theory , andsupercategory theory ormeta-mathematics ".In higher-dimensional algebra [cite journal|last = Batanin|first = MA|title = Monoidal Globular Categories As a Natural Environment for the Theory of Weak n-Categories|publisher=
Royal Society |journal=Advances in Mathematics|volume = 136|issue = 1|date =1998-06-01 |pages = 39–103|doi = 10.1006/aima.1998.1724] , a "double groupoid " is a generalisation of a 'one-dimensional'groupoid to two dimensions.Double groupoids are often used to capture information aboutgeometrical objects such ashigher-dimensional manifolds . Similarly, a supercategory is a higher-dimensional concept that generalises the notion ofcategory --regarded as any structure which is an interpretation ofLawvere 'sETAC axioms ; it can be alternatively regarded as a natural extension of ameta-category , or as amulti-graph .Double groupoids were first introduced by
Ronald Brown [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Brown_(mathematician)] in 1976, and were further developed towards applications innon-Abelian Algebraic Topology [ [http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~mas010/nonab-a-t.html "Non-Abelian Algebraic Topology" book] ] .Supercategories were first introduced in 1970 as explained in ref. [ [http://planetmath.org/encyclopedia/Supercategories3.html Supercategory theory] ] , and were subsequently developed for applications in
Theoretical Physics (especiallyQuantum Field Theory ) andMathematical Biophysics .References
5. Ronald Brown, Higgins, P. J. and R. Sivera. 2007-2008, vol. 1 [http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~mas010/nonab-a-t.html "Non-Abelian Algebraic Topology" book] , (vol. 2 "in preparation"); [http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~mas010/nonab-t/partI010604.pdf downloadable PDF:]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Brown_(mathematician) Ronald Brown] and C.B. Spencer,
Double groupoids andcrossed modules , "Cahiers Top. G'eom.Diff.", 17 (1976) 343-362.*Ronald Brown and G.H. Mosa,
Double categories , thin structures and connections, "Theory and Applications of Categories", 5 (1999), 163-175.*Ronald Brown. 2002. "
Categorical Structures forDescent and Galois Theory ".Fields Institute , September 23-28, 2002.*Ronald Brown, From
groups togroupoids : a brief survey, Bull. LMS, 19 (1987) 113-134, gives some of the history of groupoids, namely the origins in work ofBrandt on quadratic forms, and an indication of later work up to 1987, with 160 references. These have been updated slightly in the downloadable version, available as ref. [http://www.bangor.ac.uk/r.brown/groupoidsurvey.pdf] ]* [http://www.bangor.ac.uk/r.brown/hdaweb2.htm Higher dimensional group theory] is a web article with lots of references explaining how the groupoid concept has to led to notions of higher dimensional groupoids, not available in group theory, with applications in homotopy theory and in group cohomology.
* Ronald Brown and P.J. Higgins, On the
algebra of cubes , "J. Pure & Applied Algebra", 21 (1981), 233--260.* [http://www.shef.ac.uk/~pm1kchm/gt.html General theory of Lie groupoids and Lie algebroids, K.C.H. Mackenzie, CUP, 2005]
* [http://www.bangor.ac.uk/r.brown/topgpds.html Topology and groupoids, Ronald Brown, Booksurge 2006] revised and extended edition of a book previously published in 1968 and 1988. e-version available.
* [http://www.cup.cam.ac.uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521803090 Galois theories, F. Borceux, G. Janelidze, CUP, 2001] , shows how
generalisations of Galois theory lead toGalois groupoids .*I. C. Baianu, 1970.
Organismic Supercategories : II.On Multistable Systems , "Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics"., 32,539-561.*I. C. Baianu and M. Marinescu, 1974. On A
Functorial Construction of (M,R)- Systems., "Revue Roumaine de Mathe'matiques Pures et Applique'es", 19: 388-391.*I. C. Baianu, 1986--1987.
Computer Models andAutomata Theory in Biology and Medicine ., in M. Witten (ed.), "Mathematical Models in Medicine ", vol. 7., Pergamon Press, New York, 1513-1577; CERN "Preprint" No. EXT-2004-072.
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