. We recast dataflow in a modern categorical light using profunctors as a generalisation of relations. The well known causal anomalies associated with relational semantics of indeterminate dataflow are avoided, but still we preserve much of the intuitions of a relational model. The development fits with the view of categories of models for concurrency and the general treatment of bisimulation they provide. In particular it fits with the recent categorical formulation of feedback using traced monoidal categories. The payoffs are: (1) explicit relations to existing models and semantics, especially the usual axioms of monotone IO automata are read off from the definition of profunctors, (2) a new definition of bisimulation for dataflow, the proof of the congruence of which benefits from the preservation properties associated with open maps and (3) a treatment of higherorder dataflow as a biproduct, essentially by following the geometry of interaction programme. 1 Introduction A fundament...

Abstract not found

Much Australian work on categories is part of, or relevant to, the development of higher categories and their theory. In this note, I hope to describe some of the origins and achievements of our efforts that they might perchance serve as a guide to the development of aspects of higher-dimensional work. I trust that the somewhat autobiographical style will add interest rather than be a distraction. For so long I have felt rather apologetic when describing how categories might be helpful to other mathematicians; I have often felt even worse when mentioning enriched and higher categories to category theorists. This is not to say that I have doubted the value of our work, rather that I have felt slowed down by the continual pressure to defend it. At last, at this meeting, I feel justified in speaking freely amongst motivated researchers who know the need for the subject is well established. Australian Category Theory has its roots in homology theory: more precisely, in the treatment of the cohomology ring and the Künneth formulas in the book by Hilton and Wylie [HW]. The first edition of the book had a mistake concerning the cohomology ring of a product. The Künneth formulas arise from splittings of the natural short exact sequences

This dissertation studies the logic underlying category theory. In particular we present a formal calculus for reasoning about universal properties. The aim is to systematise judgements about functoriality and naturality central to categorical reasoning. The calculus is based on a language which extends the typed lambda calculus with new binders to represent universal constructions. The types of the languages are interpreted as locally small categories and the expressions represent functors. The logic supports a syntactic treatment of universality and duality. Contravariance requires a definition of universality generous enough to deal with functors of mixed variance. Ends generalise limits to cover these kinds of functors and moreover provide the basis for a very convenient algebraic manipulation of expressions. The equational theory of the lambda calculus is extended with new rules for the definitions of universal properties. These judgements express the existence of natural isomorphisms between functors. The isomorphisms allow us to formalise in the calculus results like the Yoneda lemma and Fubini theorem for ends. The definitions of limits and ends are given as representations for special Set-valued functors where Set is the category of sets and functions. This establishes the basis for a more calculational presentation of category theory rather than the traditional diagrammatic one. The presence of structural rules as primitive in the calculus together with the rule for duality give rise to issues concerning the coherence of the system. As for every well-typed expression-in-context there are several possible derivations it is sensible to ask whether they result in the same interpretation. For the functoriality judgements the system is coherent up to natural isomo...