Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

I can't comment on applications of category theory to computer programming or computer science, but I believe that the book Conceptual Mathematics by Lawvere and Schanuel is a nice introduction to the basic ideas of category theory.

http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=978052...

I believe this book has been discussed "recently" on HN, but I couldn't find a thread.

Mathematicians write for multiple audiences, but there are two major mathematical audiences for their works: specialists in the same field and researchers in other fields. Phrases like "relatively little mathematical background" normally signal that a work is intended to be accessible to non-specialists, but it's often safe to assume that it is aimed at research mathematicians. I think if a work actually requires relatively little mathematical background, a mathematician is more likely to say something like "no, really, you don't need to know mathematics to understand this!" even when it's not quite true.




I genuinely think you don't need a math background to get a general understanding of category theory, because it's so high level. A lot of it is just drawings, even, not complicated formulae and proofs. It's not category theory itself that's difficult to understand, it's the examples and vocabulary.

I think you really need no more than high school algebra to understand basically what category theory is about.


Great recommendation. Thank you!




Consider applying for YC's Fall 2025 batch! Applications are open till Aug 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: