diff -r 27ac9b02cef9 -r 470fe2c71305 text/ncat.tex --- a/text/ncat.tex Fri Feb 19 23:31:40 2010 +0000 +++ b/text/ncat.tex Sat Feb 20 22:59:57 2010 +0000 @@ -534,6 +534,9 @@ \end{example} Finally, we describe a version of the bordism $n$-category suitable to our definitions. + +\nn{should also include example of ncats coming from TQFTs, or refer ahead to where we discuss that example} + \newcommand{\Bord}{\operatorname{Bord}} \begin{example}[The bordism $n$-category] \rm @@ -595,6 +598,12 @@ \subsection{From $n$-categories to systems of fields} \label{ss:ncat_fields} In this section we describe how to extend an $n$-category as described above (of either the plain or $A_\infty$ variety) to a system of fields. That is, we show that functors $\cC_k$ satisfying the axioms above have a canonical extension, from $k$-balls and $k$-spheres to arbitrary $k$-manifolds. +In the case of plain $n$-categories, this is just the usual construction of a TQFT +from an $n$-category. +For $\infty$ $n$-categories \nn{or whatever we decide to call them}, this gives an alternate (and +somewhat more canonical/tautological) construction of the blob complex. +\nn{though from this point of view it seems more natural to just add some +adjective to ``TQFT" rather than coining a completely new term like ``blob complex".} We will first define the `cell-decomposition' poset $\cJ(W)$ for any $k$-manifold $W$, for $1 \leq k \leq n$. An $n$-category $\cC$ provides a functor from this poset to the category of sets, and we will define $\cC(W)$ as a suitable colimit (or homotopy colimit in the $A_\infty$ case) of this functor. @@ -1094,13 +1103,6 @@ Stuff that remains to be done (either below or in an appendix or in a separate section or in a separate paper): \begin{itemize} -\item traditional $n$-cat defs (e.g. *-1-cat, pivotal 2-cat) imply our def of plain $n$-cat -\item conversely, our def implies other defs -\item do same for modules; maybe an appendix on relating topological -vs traditional defs, $n = 1,2$, $A_\infty$ or not, cats, modules, tensor products -\item traditional $A_\infty$ 1-cat def implies our def -\item ... and vice-versa (already done in appendix) -\item say something about unoriented vs oriented vs spin vs pin for $n=1$ (and $n=2$?) \item spell out what difference (if any) Top vs PL vs Smooth makes \item define $n{+}1$-cat of $n$-cats (a.k.a.\ $n{+}1$-category of generalized bimodules a.k.a.\ $n{+}1$-category of sphere modules); discuss Morita equivalence @@ -1109,8 +1111,11 @@ \item functors \end{itemize} +\bigskip + +\hrule \nn{Some salvaged paragraphs that we might want to work back in:} -\hrule +\bigskip Appendix \ref{sec:comparing-A-infty} explains the translation between this definition of an $A_\infty$ $1$-category and the usual one expressed in terms of `associativity up to higher homotopy', as in \cite{MR1854636}. (In this version of the paper, that appendix is incomplete, however.)