Natural Transformation - Operations With Natural Transformations

Operations With Natural Transformations

If η : FG and ε : GH are natural transformations between functors F,G,H : CD, then we can compose them to get a natural transformation εη : FH. This is done componentwise: (εη)X = εXηX. This "vertical composition" of natural transformation is associative and has an identity, and allows one to consider the collection of all functors CD itself as a category (see below under Functor categories).

Natural transformations also have a "horizontal composition". If η : FG is a natural transformation between functors F,G : CD and ε : JK is a natural transformation between functors J,K : DE, then the composition of functors allows a composition of natural transformations ηε : JFKG. This operation is also associative with identity, and the identity coincides with that for vertical composition. The two operations are related by an identity which exchanges vertical composition with horizontal composition.

If η : FG is a natural transformation between functors F,G : CD, and H : DE is another functor, then we can form the natural transformation Hη : HFHG by defining

If on the other hand K : BC is a functor, the natural transformation ηK : FKGK is defined by

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