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The equality predicate on $A$ is interpreted by the diagonal monomorphism ${\Delta }_A:A\hookrightarrow A\times A$. The antecedent equality of the two $f$-values is the kernel pair $A{\times }_{B}A\hookrightarrow A\times A$. Semantic validity of the implication says that the kernel-pair subobject is contained in the diagonal; the reverse containment always holds. Hence the sequent is valid exactly whenIf $f$ is monic, this equality is its cancellation property expressed by the pullback. Conversely, if $fr=fs$ for $r,s:X\to A$, then $(r,s)$ factors through this kernel pair and therefore through the diagonal, giving $r=s$. Thus the sequent holds exactly when the map is a monomorphism. This argument uses generalized arrows from arbitrary $X$, not a claim that global elements detect maps.

Suppose every component ${\alpha }_A$ is a monomorphism in the Category of sets, hence an injective function. If $\beta ,\gamma :H\to F$ are natural transformations with $\alpha \beta =\alpha \gamma$, then ${\alpha }_A{\beta }_A={\alpha }_A{\gamma }_A$ at every object. Componentwise cancellation gives ${\beta }_A={\gamma }_A$, so $\beta =\gamma$. Thus $\alpha$ is a monomorphism in the functor category.

Conversely, suppose $\alpha$ is a monomorphism and $x,y\in F(A)$ satisfy ${\alpha }_A(x)={\alpha }_A(y)$. The Yoneda lemma supplies natural transformations ${\theta }^x,{\theta }^y:Y(A)\to F$. Its naturality in $F$ identifies $\alpha {\theta }^x$ and $\alpha {\theta }^y$ with the equal elements ${\alpha }_A(x)$ and ${\alpha }_A(y)$. Cancellation by $\alpha$ gives ${\theta }^x={\theta }^y$; evaluating at $1_A$ gives $x=y$. Therefore a natural transformation is a monomorphism exactly when all its components are injective functions. This is the pointwise monomorphism in a set-valued functor category criterion.

A monomorphism $m:A\to B$ satisfies $mu=mv\Rightarrow u=v$ for every parallel pair into $A$. An epimorphism $e:X\to Y$ satisfies $ue=ve\Rightarrow u=v$ for every parallel pair out of $Y$. A strong monomorphism is a monomorphism with the following lifting property: whenever $e:X\to Y$ is an epimorphism and $mu=ve$, with $u:X\to A$ and $v:Y\to B$, there is a unique $d:Y\to A$ with $de=u$ and $md=v$. A regular monomorphism is a morphism occurring as the equalizer of two parallel maps. A balanced category is one in which every morphism that is both a monomorphism and an epimorphism is an isomorphism.

Suppose $m:A\to B$ equalizes $p,q:B\rightrightarrows D$. If $mu=mv$, the common composite has two factorizations through the equalizer, so its uniqueness property gives $u=v$. Hence every regular monomorphism is indeed a monomorphism.

Now take the lifting square just described. The equations $pmu=qmu$ imply $pve=qve$. Cancel the epimorphism $e$ to obtain $pv=qv$. The equalizer gives a unique $d$ with $md=v$. Since $mde=ve=mu$ and $m$ is a monomorphism, $de=u$. Thus every regular monomorphism is a strong monomorphism; the existence of the lift uses epic cancellation, and its uniqueness uses the equalizer property.

If every monomorphism is strong, let $m:A\to B$ be both a monomorphism and an epimorphism. Use $m$ as both vertical maps in the lifting square, with horizontal maps $1_A$ and $1_B$. The strong monomorphism property gives $d:B\to A$ satisfying $dm=1_A$ and $md=1_B$. Thus $m$ is an isomorphism, proving that the category is balanced.

For the converse, take $e:X\to Y$ epic, $m:A\to B$ monic, and $mu=ve$. Form the pullback in a category of $m$ along $v$:The equality $mu=ve$ gives $t:X\to P$ with $pt=e$ and $qt=u$. By preservation of monomorphisms under pullback in a category, $p$ is monic. It is also epic: if $hp=kp$, then $he=hpt=kpt=ke$, and cancellation of $e$ gives $h=k$. The balanced category hypothesis therefore makes $p$ an isomorphism.

Set $d=q{p}^{-1}$. Then $md=v$ and $de=qt=u$. Any other such lift agrees with $d$ after composing with the monomorphism $m$, so it is equal to $d$. Consequently in a category with pullbacks in a category, being balanced is equivalent to every monomorphism being a strong monomorphism. This is the balanced categories with pullbacks have strong monomorphisms principle; the proof does not assume pullback stability of epimorphisms.

The limit form of the Special adjoint functor theorem is as follows. Let $\mathcal{C}$ be a locally small category, a complete category, and a well-powered category, and suppose it has a small cogenerating family $(Q_i{)}_{i\in I}$. Let $\mathcal{D}$ be a locally small category. Then a functor $G:\mathcal{C}\to \mathcal{D}$ has a left adjoint if and only if it preserves all small categorical limits. The dual exchanges completeness, well-poweredness and cogenerators for cocompleteness, well-copoweredness and generators, and characterizes functors with a right adjoint.

Here a cogenerating set distinguishes unequal parallel maps by postcomposition into one of the $Q_i$. A well-powered category has a set of subobjects of each fixed object. Completeness means existence of all small categorical limits. We use the initial-object lemma for complete categories with a weakly initial set: a complete category that is locally small has an initial object exactly when it has a weakly initial set. A proof is given in Question 5(c). We also use the fact that when $G$ preserves small categorical limits, the comma category $(B\downarrow G)$ is complete, with its limits constructed in $\mathcal{C}$; local smallness is inherited from $\mathcal{C}$. Finally, having an initial object in $(B\downarrow G)$ for each $B$ is the universal arrow from an object to a functor characterization of a left adjoint.

Assume $G$ preserves small categorical limits, and fix $B\in \mathcal{D}$. We will construct a weakly initial set in $(B\downarrow G)$, rather than assume a solution set. Start with an arbitrary object $(C,x)$, where $x:B\to GC$. Call a subobject $m:S\hookrightarrow C$ supporting if $x=G(m)x_S$ for some $x_S:B\to GS$. There is at least one, namely $1_C$. Because $G$ preserves pullbacks in a category, it preserves monomorphisms: the self-pullback characterization of a monic map is preserved. Consequently each $x_S$ is unique.

There is a set of supporting subobjects by well-poweredness. Their intersection of subobjects exists by completeness; write it $m_0:C_0\hookrightarrow C$. Applying $G$ to this intersection categorical limit gives a unique $x_0:B\to G{C}_0$ lifting all the $x_S$, and hence $x=G(m_0)x_0$. Minimality says that any subobject $n:R\hookrightarrow C_0$ supporting $x_0$ is invertible: $m_{0}n$ supports $x$, so $m_0$ factors through $m_{0}n$, giving a right inverse to the monic $n$.

If $u,v:C_0\to Q_i$ satisfy $G(u)x_0=G(v)x_0$, their equalizer supports $x_0$, since $G$ preserves that equalizer. It is therefore an isomorphism, and $u=v$. We have obtained an injective functionLet $J_i$ be its image, a subset of the fixed set $S_i=\mathcal{D}(B,G{Q}_i)$. The evaluation embedding into cogenerator products is a monomorphismIndeed each $s\in J_i$ corresponds to a unique map $C_0\to Q_i$, and the cogenerating set property makes the resulting family jointly monic. Notice that we use the realized subsets $J_i$, not all of $S_i$: there need not be a map $C_0\to Q_i$ available for an unused index.

There is a set of tuples $J=(J_i)$, since $I$ and every $S_i$ are sets. For each resulting $P_J$, choose representatives of its subobjects; these form a set by well-poweredness. For every representative $R$, include every map $y:B\to GR$, a set by local smallness of $\mathcal{D}$. All resulting pairs $(R,y)$ form a set. Our given $(C,x)$ receives a map from such a pair: transport $x_0$ along the isomorphism between $C_0$ and the chosen representative, then compose its inverse with $m_0$. Thus these pairs form a weakly initial set in $(B\downarrow G)$. This is the cogenerator bound for comma-category solution sets.

The initial-object lemma for complete categories with a weakly initial set gives an initial object $(LB,{\eta }_B)$. For $h:B\to B^{\prime }$, define $Lh$ by the unique equationUniqueness proves the functor laws and gives the natural bijectionsThus $L⊣G$. Conversely, a right adjoint preserves small categorical limits: its adjunction identifies maps into the proposed limiting object with compatible families of maps into the diagram. This proves both directions of the limit form of the special adjoint functor theorem. Applying the argument to the opposite categories proves the dual statement. Choices of representatives and adjoint objects are understood in the usual ambient-universe convention for large categories.

Take any morphism $h:A\to B$ and let $c:B\to C$ be its categorical cokernel. Let $i:I\to B$ be the categorical kernel of $c$. Since $ch=0$, kernel universality gives $e:A\to I$ with $h=ie$. The map $i$ is a monomorphism. We must establish the pseudo-epimorphism property of $e$, rather than merely name $I$ an image.

Suppose $t:I\to Z$ satisfies $te=0$. Let $k:K\to I$ be its categorical kernel. Then $e=ka$ for some $a:A\to K$. The composite $ik$ is a monomorphism, so the hypothesis that every monomorphism is normal provides a map $q:B\to D$ of which $ik$ is a categorical kernel, up to its unique compatible isomorphism. Now $qh=qika=0$. The categorical cokernel property of $c$ gives $q=\bar{q}c$, and therefore $qi=\bar{q}ci=0$.

Since $ik$ is the categorical kernel of $q$, the map $i$ factors through it: $i=ik\ell$ for some $\ell :I\to K$. Cancel the monomorphism $i$ to get $k\ell =1_I$. As $k$ is also a monomorphism, $\ell k=1_K$, so $k$ is an isomorphism. Finally $t=tk\ell =0$, proving that $e$ is a pseudo-epimorphism.

ThusThe pseudo-epimorphism factorization through the kernel of a cokernel proof uses a pointed category, existence of categorical kernels and categorical cokernels, and normality of every monic map. It does not silently replace pseudo-epic cancellation against zero by the stronger epimorphism condition.