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Category theory doesn't have to be presented in such a diagram-heavy way. It's just that the people who love category theory also love diagrams. I don't know

Category theory doesn't have to be presented in such a diagram-heavy way. It's just that the people who love category theory also love diagrams. I don't know one that avoids diagrams as much as possible, but the book "Abstract and Concrete Categories" is not too diagram heavy. I think the PDF is legally available online.

auggierose 2y ago
My main problem with these books (this one also) is that they don't take me to anything interesting I can do with categories quickly enough before I fall asleep. It seems I have to wade through hundreds of trivial examples first. Maybe I should write my own book about categories, that might keep me awake long enough. Oh, maybe that is why there are so many books about category theory!
- QuesnayJr 2y ago
  I have toyed with writing my own intro. A lot of category theory is just identifying that a bunch of similar elementary results across algebra and topology can be stated and proved once in a common framework. The examples in ACC serve to show the different guises the elementary results take in different settings, as well as a source of counterexamples. I would guess this is not to your taste. The only nontrivial theorems of general interest are the Adjoint Functor Theorems, which give very general existence proofs for universal constructions. For that, the chapter in Saunders Maclane's book is probably better. Though it could be that none of this is worth your time. Category theory inspires intense enthusiasm from some people, but outside of a few areas of math it's not strictly necessary.
- CuriousSkeptic 2y ago
  Perhaps this lecture series by Bartosz Milewski is more your thing https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbgaMIhjbmEnaH_LTkxLI7FMa2HsnawM_ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbgaMIhjbmEnaH_LTkxLI7FMa... His enthusiasm and energy certainly helps to keep it entertaining

auggierose 2y ago

My main problem with these books (this one also) is that they don't take me to anything interesting I can do with categories quickly enough before I fall asleep. It seems I have to wade through hundreds of trivial examples first. Maybe I should write my own book about categories, that might keep me awake long enough. Oh, maybe that is why there are so many books about category theory!

QuesnayJr 2y ago
I have toyed with writing my own intro. A lot of category theory is just identifying that a bunch of similar elementary results across algebra and topology can be stated and proved once in a common framework. The examples in ACC serve to show the different guises the elementary results take in different settings, as well as a source of counterexamples. I would guess this is not to your taste. The only nontrivial theorems of general interest are the Adjoint Functor Theorems, which give very general existence proofs for universal constructions. For that, the chapter in Saunders Maclane's book is probably better. Though it could be that none of this is worth your time. Category theory inspires intense enthusiasm from some people, but outside of a few areas of math it's not strictly necessary.
CuriousSkeptic 2y ago
Perhaps this lecture series by Bartosz Milewski is more your thing https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbgaMIhjbmEnaH_LTkxLI7FMa2HsnawM_ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbgaMIhjbmEnaH_LTkxLI7FMa... His enthusiasm and energy certainly helps to keep it entertaining