Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / iii / Paper 18 / 5

The comma category $(X\downarrow G)$ has objects $(A,x)$ with $A\in \mathcal{C}$ and a function $x:X\to GA$. A morphism $(A,x)\to (B,y)$ is an arrow $f:A\to B$ such that $Gfx=y$. Identities and composition come from $\mathcal{C}$. When $X=1$, a map $1\to GA$ selects an element of $GA$, so this is the covariant category of elements of $G$.

A representation of a functor $(A,x)$ for $G$ says precisely that for every object $(B,y)$ of $(1\downarrow G)$ there is a unique arrow $f:A\to B$ with $Gf(x)=y$. This is exactly the initial object property for $(A,x)$ in that comma category. Conversely, an initial object supplies these unique arrows, hence the representing bijections $\mathcal{C}(A,B)\cong GB$.

An initial object by itself is a weakly initial set. For the converse, let $(W_i{)}_{i\in I}$ be a small weakly initial family and form its product in a category $W$. Given $X$, choose an arrow $W_i\to X$; its composite with the projection $W\to W_i$ shows that $W$ is weakly initial.

Local smallness makes $\mathrm{End}(W)$ a set, so completeness supplies the simultaneous equalizer $e:E\to W$ of all endomorphisms of $W$ with $1_W$. Thus $he=e$ for every $h\in \mathrm{End}(W)$. The object $E$ is weakly initial because it maps to $W$.

For parallel arrows $a,b:E\to X$, take their equalizer $j:Y\to E$. Weak initiality of $W$ supplies $t:W\to Y$. The endomorphism $ejt$ of $W$ satisfies $(ejt)e=e$, and monicity of $e$ gives $jte=1_E$. Therefore $j$ is both a monomorphism and a split epimorphism, hence an isomorphism. Since $aj=bj$, we obtain $a=b$. There is already at least one arrow from $E$ to every $X$, so $E$ is initial. This proves the initial-object lemma for complete categories with a weakly initial set, with smallness used exactly where the endomorphisms are equalized.

If $G$ is representable, it is a limit-preserving functor, and its universal element gives an initial object of $(1\downarrow G)$, hence a weakly initial singleton.

Conversely, a limit-preserving $G$ makes $(1\downarrow G)$ a complete category. For a small diagram $(A_j,x_j)$, take $L={\lim }_j{A}_j$ in $\mathcal{C}$. Its distinguished elements form a compatible family in ${\lim }_{j}G{A}_j$. Categorical limit preservation gives a unique $x\in GL$ with $G{p}_j(x)=x_j$. The underlying categorical limit factorization of a categorical cone preserves this element, proving the comma-category universal property. For the empty diagram, this uses $G1\cong 1$. This is the construction of limits in a comma category of a limit-preserving functor.

The comma category is locally small since its arrows are subsets of the hom-sets in $\mathcal{C}$. By the previous part, its weakly initial set therefore yields an initial object. Part (b) then yields a representation of $G$. Thus representability from a solution set follows with all small categorical limits, rather than finite categorical limits alone.