Homotopy Theory of Higher Categories

The study of higher categories is attracting growing interest for its many applications in topology, algebraic geometry, mathematical physics and category theory. Following an extensive discussion of many current approaches, Carlos Simpson explains the first concrete and workable theory of n-categories in detail.

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The study of higher categories is attracting growing interest for its many applications in topology, algebraic geometry, mathematical physics and category theory. In this highly readable book, Carlos Simpson develops a full set of homotopical algebra techniques and proposes a working theory of higher categories. Starting with a cohesive overview of the many different approaches currently used by researchers, the author proceeds with a detailed exposition of one of the most widely used techniques: the construction of a Cartesian Quillen model structure for higher categories. The fully iterative construction applies to enrichment over any Cartesian model category, and yields model categories for weakly associative n-categories and Segal n-categories. A corollary is the construction of higher functor categories which fit together to form the (n+1)-category of n-categories. The approach uses Tamsamani's definition based on Segal's ideas, iterated as in Pelissier's thesis using modern techniques due to Barwick, Bergner, Lurie and others.