We say that a model category is left-determined if the weak equivalences are generated (in a sense specified below) by the cofibrations. While the model category of simplicial sets is not left-determined, we show that its non-oriented variant, the category of symmetric simplicial sets (in the sense of Lawvere and Grandis) carries a natural left-determined model category structure. This is used to give another and, as we believe simpler, proof of a recent result of D. Dugger about universal homotopy theories. 1

For a symmetric monoidal-closed category V and a suitable monad T on the category of sets, we introduce the notion of reflexive and transitive (T , V)-algebra and show that various old and new structures are instances of such algebras. Lawvere's presentation of a metric space as a V-category is included in our setting, via the Betti-Carboni-Street-Walters interpretation of a V-category as a monad in the bicategory of V-matrices, and so are Barr's presentation of topological spaces as lax algebras, Lowen's approach spaces, and Lambek's multicategories, which enjoy renewed interest in the study of n-categories. As a further example, we introduce a new structure called ultracategory which simultaneously generalizes the notions of topological space and of category.

Dedicated to Jiˇrí Rosick´y at the occasion of his sixtieth birthday Abstract. In order to facilitate a natural choice for morphisms created by the (left or right) lifting property as used in the definition of weak factorization systems, the notion of natural weak factorization system in the category K is introduced, as a pair (comonad, monad) overK 2. The link with existing notions in terms of morphism classes is given via the respective Eilenberg– Moore categories. 1.

The notion of Quillen factorization system is obtained by strengthening the left and right lifting properties in a Quillen model category to the unique diagonalization property. An equivalent description of this notion is given in terms of a double factorization system which decomposes each arrow uniquely into three factors. The free category with Quillen factorization system over a given category is described.

Polar decomposition unquestionably provides a notion of factorization in the category of Hilbert spaces. But it does not fit existing categorical notions, mainly because its factors are not closed under composition. We observe that the factors are images of functors. This leads us to consider notions of factorization that emphasize reconstruction of the composite