Operads as polynomial 2-monads

Mark Weber

Theory and applications of categories, Tome 30 (2015), pp. 1659-1712

Résumé

In this article we give a construction of a polynomial 2-monad from an operad and describe the algebras of the 2-monads which then arise. This construction is different from the standard construction of a monad from an operad in that the algebras of our associated 2-monad are the categorified algebras of the original operad. Moreover it enables us to characterise operads as categorical polynomial monads in a canonical way. This point of view reveals categorical polynomial monads as a unifying environment for operads, Cat-operads and clubs. We recover the standard construction of a monad from an operad in a 2-categorical way from our associated 2-monad as a coidentifier of 2-monads, and understand the algebras of both as weak morphisms of operads into a Cat-operad of categories. Algebras of operads within general symmetric monoidal categories arise from our new associated 2-monad in a canonical way. When the operad is sigma-free, we establish a Quillen equivalence, with respect to the model structures on algebras of 2-monads found by Lack, between the strict algebras of our associated 2-monad, and those of the standard one.

Détail

Publié le : 2015-12-02

Classification : 18D20, 18D50, 55P48
Keywords: operads, polynomial functors