Re: [Caml-list] Categories for types

["Michaël Grünewald" <michael.grunewald@laposte.net>]

Le Mercredi 27 février 2008 à 15:19 +0100, Pierre-Evariste Dagand a
écrit :
> >  Maybe someone can also suggests other readings to me.
> 
> /!\ Disclaimer /!\
> 
> I'm not a category theory guru, it just happened that I had one
> lecture on that topic, I'm still trying to understand that field. The
> following references come from my teacher.
> 
> Feel free to comment this choice / to comment over my comments, I am
> eager to learn more about this topic.
> 
> 
> 
> This book is a "classic", targeting the use of category theory for
> programming languages :
> 
> Basic Category Theory for Computer Scientists, Benjamin C. Pierce
> 
> It's "understandable", i.e: to be read with a pen and a paper. That's
> not a thriller...
> 
> Then comes the Crole, Categories for Types. Quite hard to grasp but
> hey... that's category theory... Spoiler : at the end, the
> hyper-doctrine classify the \omega \lambda theory, I look forward
> Season 2 to know how she reacts.
> 
> Less computer science oriented, you have :
> 
> Conceptual Mathematics: A First Introduction to Categories, Lawvere & Schanuel
> 
> This one is very pedestrian, it starts with stones, Anna, Joe and
> Richard to end with "higher universal mapping properties". I find it
> quite good at developping some intuitions of what all these
> thingy-morphisms are, among other thingysm.
> 
> On the other hand, you have the H-Bomb :
> 
> Categories for the Working Mathematician, Mac Lane
> 
> Probably a very good book. But I can't comment it : as soon as I open
> it, read a line, I fall asleep. It's a very dense book.
> 
> I have also heard a good review of the following :
> 
> Category Theory (Oxford Logic Guides),  Steve Awodey
> 
> As an intermediate between Mac Lane and Pierce.
> 
> 
> 
> Good luck and don't forget to buy a lot of coffee,

Thank you for the pointers, I will read the introductions of the books I
manage to find. And yes, I enjoy drinking coffee.