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What is the category of functors from C to D?

The category of functors from CC to DD, denoted DC\mathcal{D}^\mathcal{C}, is a category where the objects are the functors from CC to DD, and the morphisms are the natural transformations between these functors.

Conditions

  • CC and DD are categories.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Identify the source category CC and target category DD.
  2. Collect all functors mapping from CC to DD to serve as the objects of the new category.
  3. Identify all natural transformations between pairs of these functors to serve as the morphisms.
  4. Define the composition of morphisms in this new category (which is done componentwise).
  5. Conclude that this structure forms the functor category DC\mathcal{D}^\mathcal{C}.

Example

The speaker says, "Suppose we wanted to define the category DC\mathcal{D}^\mathcal{C}, that is, the category of functors from CC to DD." The symbol DC\mathcal{D}^\mathcal{C} is displayed on screen, and the diagram shows functors FF, GG, and HH as objects, with natural transformations η\eta and γ\gamma as morphisms between them.

Common misconceptions

  • Thinking the objects of DC\mathcal{D}^\mathcal{C} are the objects of CC or DD; they are the functors themselves.
  • Assuming the morphisms are arbitrary mappings between functors; they must specifically be natural transformations.
  • Confusing the functor category with the product category C×DC \times D.

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