MSc in Computer Science

FHS Computer Science; Mathematics and Computer Science; Computer

Science and Philosophy; Mathematics

Categories Proofs and Processes

Michaelmas Term 2018

This paper contains 2 questions. Candidates are expected to answer all questions.
Submission deadline 12pm, Wednesday 2nd January 2019, via weblearn.

–1– TURN OVER

 The University of Oxford

MSc (Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science and

Master in Computer Science)

Categories, Proofs and Processes

Michaelmas Term 2018

The steps of (each) mini project are for your guidance; if you wish to take an
alternative route to the desired goal, you are free to do so. But, if you follow
the suggested route and find yourself unable to carry out any particular step,
you may simply assume it so that you can continue with the mini project,
but should make this assumption clear in your presentation. The essay part
of each question will receive marks for clarity of exposition, technical content
and presentation style.

Question 1

(a) Based on the material in Chapters 4, 6 and 7 of Robert Goldblatt’s

book Topoi: The Categorial Analysis of Logic and/or other resources of
your choice, explain the definition of the subobject classifier and discuss
its importance for classical and intuitionistic logic. Your presentation
should not exceed 4 pages. (20 marks)

(b) i) Describe the subobject classifier Ω of the presheaf topos given by

op
SetP , where P is the powerset of {1, 2, 3} seen as a poset under
inclusion. How many generalised truth values (arrows from the
terminal object to Ω) are there? What are these, explicitly, and
what is their logical interpretation?
(5 marks)
ii) Regarding the truth values of the subobject classifier as a Heyting
algebra, show that it is possible to define a monoid structure on Ω
with multiplication given by the lattice meet operation ∧.
(5 marks)

1
As a monoid, Ω can act on a set X. This action is well defined if
hp = qi · p = hp = qi · q, ∀p, q ∈ X,
where hp = qi is the truth value of the assertion p = q.
The rest of this exercise concerns well-defined actions as above. We define a
partial order on Ω by α ≤ β iff α ∧ β = α. You can assume that α implies
hα · p = pi for all α and p.
(c) i) Show that for all p and q the following three statements are equiv-
alent
1) p = hp = qi · p
2) p = hp = qi · q
3) p = α · q for some α ∈ Ω
(5 marks)
Write p ≤ q if (1) − (3) above hold.
ii) Check that this defines a partial order on X.
(5 marks)
iii) Show that the action of Ω on X seen as a map Ω × X → X is order
preserving in each variable separately.
(5 marks)
iv) Show that the partial order on X has a greatest lower bound oper-
ation given by
p ∧ q := hp = qi · p = hp = qi · q.
(5 marks)
v) Show that for all p ∈ X we have an adjunction given by the pair of
functors Fp : Ω → X and Gp : X → Ω, where
Fp (α) = p · α and Gp (q) = hp ≤ qi.
(5 marks)
vi) Show that any bounded subset Y of X satisfies
sup Y = hp ∈ Y i · p
for any upper bound p of Y.
(5 marks)

2
Question 2

Recall that for a monad (T, µ, η) on a category C, the objects of its Eilenberg-
Moore category C T are pairs (A, σA ) consisting of an object A in C and a
C−morphism σA : T A → A such that

σA ◦ TσA = σA ◦ µA and σA ◦ ηA = idA .

As such, the Eilenberg-Moore category of algebras for the monad comes

equipped with a forgetful functor U : C T → C. For two categories C1 and C2 ,
and monads T1 on C1 and T2 on C2 , a monad morphism from T1 to T2 is a
pair (F, θ) consisting of a functor F : C1 → C2 and a natural transformation
θ : T2 F ⇒ F T1 such that

T2 θ θT1 F η1
T2 T2 F +3 T2 F T1 +3 F T1 T1 and F +3 F T1
8@
①
①①①
µ2 F F µ1 η2 F ①①
①
①①①①
   ①①①①① θ
θ
T2 F +3 F T1 T2 F
both commute.

(a) i) Show that a monad morphism (F, θ) as above can be used to uniquely
define a functor Fb between the corresponding categories of algebras
such that the following diagram commutes:

Fb
C1T1 // C2T2 (1)
U1 U2
 
F
C1 // C2

(5 marks)

ii) Show that the converse also holds: each commutative diagram (1)
gives rise to a natural transformation θ making (F, θ) into a monad
morphism.
(5 marks)

3
 iii) Show that if F is faithful so is Fb.
(5 marks)

iv) Show that if F is fully faithful and each component of θ is an epi-

morphism, then Fb is fully faithful.
(5 marks)

v) Show that if F is fully faithful and θ is an epimorphism, then Fb is

the pullback of F along U2 .
(5 marks)

(b) Write a short essay detailing a particular application of monads in com-

puter programming or elsewhere. Your presentation should not exceed
2 pages and the source (whether a book, article or online resource) your
presentation is based on should be referenced clearly. There is no need
to restate the definitions which are covered in the course notes.
(15 marks)