4 ms·

You Could Have Invented Spectral Sequences (2006) [pdf]

63 points by espeed 8y ago

irishsultan 8y ago
The title made me think of "You Could Have Invented Monads (And Maybe You Already Have)" (http://blog.sigfpe.com/2006/08/you-could-have-invented-monads-and.html http://blog.sigfpe.com/2006/08/you-could-have-invented-monad...), which according to one of the comments in http://blog.ezyang.com/2012/02/anatomy-of-you-could-have-invented/ http://blog.ezyang.com/2012/02/anatomy-of-you-could-have-inv... was inspired by this article
- dirkt 8y ago
  Though I have to say that [chain complexes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_complex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_complex) and their [homotopy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homotopy_category_of_chain_complexes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homotopy_category_of_chain_com...) are somewhat more difficult than the structure you need to understand monads. You can even explain monads purely in programming terms, without reference to category theory.
  - espeed 8y ago
    Here are some illustrations of chain complexes: Chain Complexes https://www.mathphysicsbook.com/mathematics/algebraic-topology/constructing-surfaces-within-a-space/chain-complexes/ https://www.mathphysicsbook.com/mathematics/algebraic-topolo... Homology for Normal Humans http://isomorphismes.tumblr.com/post/127950269154/graded-chain-complex-of-a-simplex-homology http://isomorphismes.tumblr.com/post/127950269154/graded-cha...
DennisP 8y ago
Top of page 2: "Here is a simple example. Suppose we have a chain complex..." And right there I'm lost because the paper hasn't explained what a chain complex is, and I don't understand the notation. I guess I couldn't have invented spectral sequences.
- bbeonx 8y ago
  Yeah, it assumes basic algebraic topology (which is not a mild assumption). He states at the top that he is assuming familiarity with homology groups, and chain complexes are used to define homology groups.
- jordigh 8y ago
  I think this was supposed to be, "if you have an undergraduate education in mathematics along with the basics of algebraic topology, you could have invented spectral sequences". The prototypical example of a chain complex is a triangulation of an n-dimensional surface. You can take each n-dimensional triangulation into its (n-1)-dimensional boundary, with the property that the boundary of a boundary is empty. Roughly, this means that you have a sequence of maps on "chains" (prototypically, triangulations) d_{n} d_{n-1} d_{2} d_{1} C_{n} -----> C_{n-1} ---------> ... -------> C_{1} -------> C_0 with the property that d_{k_1}(d_{k})(x) = 0 for all x and all k (or more abbreviated, d^2 = 0), the boundary of a boundary is zero.
- sdenton4 8y ago
  Well, as my PhD advisor once told me, those who don't understand homology are doomed to reinvent it... So maybe you'll build your own chain complexes if left to your own devices long enough.

63 points by espeed 8y ago

The title made me think of "You Could Have Invented Monads (And Maybe You Already Have)" (http://blog.sigfpe.com/2006/08/you-could-have-invented-monads-and.html http://blog.sigfpe.com/2006/08/you-could-have-invented-monad...), which according to one of the comments in http://blog.ezyang.com/2012/02/anatomy-of-you-could-have-invented/ http://blog.ezyang.com/2012/02/anatomy-of-you-could-have-inv... was inspired by this article

dirkt 8y ago
Though I have to say that [chain complexes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_complex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_complex) and their [homotopy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homotopy_category_of_chain_complexes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homotopy_category_of_chain_com...) are somewhat more difficult than the structure you need to understand monads. You can even explain monads purely in programming terms, without reference to category theory.
- espeed 8y ago
  Here are some illustrations of chain complexes: Chain Complexes https://www.mathphysicsbook.com/mathematics/algebraic-topology/constructing-surfaces-within-a-space/chain-complexes/ https://www.mathphysicsbook.com/mathematics/algebraic-topolo... Homology for Normal Humans http://isomorphismes.tumblr.com/post/127950269154/graded-chain-complex-of-a-simplex-homology http://isomorphismes.tumblr.com/post/127950269154/graded-cha...

DennisP 8y ago

Top of page 2: "Here is a simple example. Suppose we have a chain complex..." And right there I'm lost because the paper hasn't explained what a chain complex is, and I don't understand the notation. I guess I couldn't have invented spectral sequences.

bbeonx 8y ago
Yeah, it assumes basic algebraic topology (which is not a mild assumption). He states at the top that he is assuming familiarity with homology groups, and chain complexes are used to define homology groups.
jordigh 8y ago
I think this was supposed to be, "if you have an undergraduate education in mathematics along with the basics of algebraic topology, you could have invented spectral sequences". The prototypical example of a chain complex is a triangulation of an n-dimensional surface. You can take each n-dimensional triangulation into its (n-1)-dimensional boundary, with the property that the boundary of a boundary is empty. Roughly, this means that you have a sequence of maps on "chains" (prototypically, triangulations) d_{n} d_{n-1} d_{2} d_{1} C_{n} -----> C_{n-1} ---------> ... -------> C_{1} -------> C_0 with the property that d_{k_1}(d_{k})(x) = 0 for all x and all k (or more abbreviated, d^2 = 0), the boundary of a boundary is zero.
sdenton4 8y ago
Well, as my PhD advisor once told me, those who don't understand homology are doomed to reinvent it... So maybe you'll build your own chain complexes if left to your own devices long enough.