A question on: <newsgroup sci.math>

[Ross Street <street@ics.mq.edu.au>]

I thought the CatNet would be interested in the following question
which appeared on <newsgroup sci.math>. The letter was pointed out
to me by a colleague at Macquarie.

--Ross

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From: mathwft@math.canterbury.ac.nz (Bill Taylor)
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Query about Category Theory.
Date: 18 Jun 2000 05:36:30 GMT
Organization: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of
Canterbury, Christchurch, NewZealand

Does anyone know of any cases where Category Theory (morphisms, functors &
all that) has helped solve an unsolved problem?

That is, a problem in some other branch of math, posed without reference to
categorical ideas, and previously unsolved, that was first solved via
Category T.

I realize that CT provides a unifying framework for many seemingly disparate
ideas in math, and that is a fine thing of course; but I was just wondering
if it had this problem-solving capability.

TIA for any helpful responses.

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--- Bill Taylor        W.Taylor@math.canterbury.ac.nz