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Saturday, November 1, 2025

Preorder as a monoid object

Consider the category of endorelations on a set X. Specifically, let P(X×X) form a partial order category where the objects are elements of P(X×X) (i.e., relations on X), and the morphisms are inclusions. We denote this category as X.

This category admits a natural monoidal structure. The monoidal product is defined as relational composition, with the unit element being the diagonal relation Δ.

We observe that a preorder on X is precisely a monoid object in (X,,Δ).

The reason is straightforward: a relation R is transitive if and only if RRR, and a relation is reflexive if and only if ΔR.

The remaining associativity and unitality laws are evident. Since we are working in a partial order category, any diagram one can draw is commutative, and this forms a monoidal structure.

In addition, we have

Sym(X)=Pic(X)

 

Socle as Right adjoint Functor.

Let k be a field and let A be a k-algebra. Define

Rep(A):=Add(B(A),Vectk),

which is an abelian category.

Definition.

  • A representation V is simple if Sub(V){0,1}.

  • A representation V is semisimple if

    V=iISi,where each Si is simple.

    Let Semi(A) be the full subcategory of semisimple representations. This is an abelian category.

Proposition. Semi(A) is a coreflective subcategory of Rep(A).

We define the right adjoint of the inclusion i:Semi(A)Rep(A) as follows.

For VRep(A), set

soc(V):=the sum of all simple subrepresentations of V.

This assignment defines a functor because for every morphism f:VW we have

f(soc(V))soc(W).

Moreover, soc() is additive.

The adjunction can be written as: for every SSemi(A) and every VRep(A),

HomRep(A)(i(S),V)HomSemi(A)(S,soc(V)),

naturally in S and V. Hence soc:Rep(A)Semi(A) is right adjoint to the inclusion i.

Corollary. soc() is left exact.

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