Structure

category of large vector spaces over a large field with a small basis

Notation VectKs\Vect^s_K Objects large vector spaces over a large field KK that are isomorphic to K⊕XK^{\oplus X} for a set XX Morphisms KK-linear maps Related VectK\Vect_K, [On,Ab][\On,\Ab], AbI\Ab^I, FinVectK\FinVect_K, VectK(I)\Vect^{(I)}_K
Recall from our foundations that we work with sets ("small sets") and collections ("large sets"). A large field KK is a collection equipped with a field structure. Concrete examples are Q(Xα:α∈On)\IQ(X_\alpha : \alpha \in \OnColl) and the field of nimbers On2\On_2. There is a well-behaved hypercategory VectK\Vect_K of large vector spaces over KK, which are collections equipped with a suitable algebraic structure. (See the linked article on foundations for the definition of a hypercategory.) Since collections and sets behave mostly the same (both satisfy the ZFC-axioms), it has analogous properties to its small counterpart: it is a split abelian, finitary algebraic hypercategory, and every object is isomorphic to K⊕XK^{\oplus X} for a collection XX.
In this entry, we consider the full sub-hypercategory VectKs\Vect^s_K of VectK\Vect_K consisting of the large vector spaces that are isomorphic to K⊕XK^{\oplus X} for a set XX. The relationship between VectKs\Vect^s_K and VectK\Vect_K is similar to that between FinVectK\FinVect_K and VectK\Vect_K. However, VectKs\Vect^s_K is not self-dual, which breaks the analogy.
However, VectKs\Vect^s_K is not a category as defined in our foundations, because the totality of its objects is not a collection. Even the totality of trivial large vector spaces is not a collection, analogous to the fact that the collection of trivial vector spaces is not a set. However, the totality of objects of VectKs\Vect^s_K is in bijection with the collection of sets, so VectKs\Vect^s_K is equivalent (as a hypercategory) to a category. This category has sets as objects and (not necessarily finite) column-finite matrices over KK as morphisms. Formally, we need to work with this category to stay within our framework, but it is easier and more natural to work with VectKs\Vect^s_K instead, in particular when studying its properties. To decide all properties, we assume that KK is not essentially small.
This category does not appear in practice, but it provides an example of a Grothendieck abelian category that is not complete, which is impossible in the locally small case.

Satisfied properties

Assigned properties

Deduced properties

Unsatisfied properties

Assigned properties

Deduced properties*

*This also uses the deduced satisfied properties.

Unknown properties

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Special objects

  • terminal object: trivial vector space
  • initial object: trivial vector space
  • products: direct products
  • coproducts: direct sums

Special morphisms

  • isomorphisms: bijective linear maps
  • monomorphisms: injective linear maps
  • epimorphisms: surjective linear maps
  • regular monomorphisms: same as monomorphisms
  • regular epimorphisms: same as epimorphisms