Subsection 5.2.6 (01PW): The Symmetry

The symmetry of the coproduct of sets is the natural isomorphism

whose component

\[ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y} \colon X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y \overset {\scriptstyle \mathord {\sim }}{\dashrightarrow }Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X \]

at $X,Y\in \operatorname {\mathrm{Obj}}\webleft (\mathsf{Sets}\webright )$ is defined by

\[ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}\webleft (x,y\webright )\mathrel {\smash {\overset {\mathclap {\scriptscriptstyle \text{def}}}=}}\webleft (y,x\webright ) \]

for each $\webleft (x,y\webright )\in X\times Y$.

Unwinding the Definitions of $X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y$ and $Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X$

Firstly, we unwind the expressions for $X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y$ and $Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X$. We have

\[ X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y\mathrel {\smash {\overset {\mathclap {\scriptscriptstyle \text{def}}}=}}\left\{ \webleft (0,x\webright )\in S\ \middle |\ x\in X\right\} \cup \left\{ \webleft (1,y\webright )\in S\ \middle |\ y\in Y\right\} , \]

where $S=\left\{ 0,1\right\} \times \webleft (X\cup Y\webright )$ and

\[ Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X\mathrel {\smash {\overset {\mathclap {\scriptscriptstyle \text{def}}}=}}\left\{ \webleft (0,y\webright )\in S'\ \middle |\ y\in Y\right\} \cup \left\{ \webleft (1,x\webright )\in S'\ \middle |\ x\in X\right\} , \]

where $S'=\left\{ 0,1\right\} \times \webleft (Y\cup X\webright )=\left\{ 0,1\right\} \times \webleft (X\cup Y\webright )=S$.

Invertibility

The inverse of $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}$ is the map

\[ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\colon Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X\to X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y \]

defined by

\[ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\mathrel {\smash {\overset {\mathclap {\scriptscriptstyle \text{def}}}=}}\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{Y,X} \]

and hence given by

\begin{align*} \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\webleft (z\webright )\mathrel {\smash {\overset {\mathclap {\scriptscriptstyle \text{def}}}=}}\begin{cases} \webleft (0,x\webright ) & \text{if $z=\webleft (1,x\webright )$,}\\ \webleft (1,y\webright ) & \text{if $z=\webleft (0,y\webright )$} \end{cases}\end{align*}

for each $z\in Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X$. Indeed:

•
Invertibility I. We have

\begin{align*} \webleft [\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\circ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}\webright ]\webleft (0,x\webright ) & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X}\webleft (0,x\webright )\webright )\\ & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (1,x\webright )\\ & = \webleft (0,x\webright )\\ & = \webleft [\operatorname {\mathrm{id}}_{X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y}\webright ]\webleft (0,x\webright ) \end{align*}

for each $\webleft (0,x\webright )\in X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y$ and

\begin{align*} \webleft [\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\circ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}\webright ]\webleft (1,y\webright ) & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X}\webleft (1,y\webright )\webright )\\ & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (0,y\webright )\\ & = \webleft (1,y\webright )\\ & = \webleft [\operatorname {\mathrm{id}}_{X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y}\webright ]\webleft (1,y\webright ) \end{align*}

for each $\webleft (1,y\webright )\in X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y$, and therefore we have

\[ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\circ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}=\operatorname {\mathrm{id}}_{X\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}Y}. \]
•
Invertibility II. We have

\begin{align*} \webleft [\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}\circ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\webright ]\webleft (0,y\webright ) & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X}\webleft (\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (0,y\webright )\webright )\\ & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (1,y\webright )\\ & = \webleft (0,y\webright )\\ & = \webleft [\operatorname {\mathrm{id}}_{Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X}\webright ]\webleft (0,y\webright ) \end{align*}

for each $\webleft (0,y\webright )\in Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X$ and

\begin{align*} \webleft [\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}\circ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X,Y}\webright ]\webleft (1,x\webright ) & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X}\webleft (\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (1,x\webright )\webright )\\ & = \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}\webleft (0,x\webright )\\ & = \webleft (1,x\webright )\\ & = \webleft [\operatorname {\mathrm{id}}_{Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X}\webright ]\webleft (1,x\webright ) \end{align*}

for each $\webleft (1,x\webright )\in Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X$, and therefore we have

\[ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X}\circ \sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }},-1}_{X}=\operatorname {\mathrm{id}}_{Y\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}X}. \]

Therefore $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}_{X,Y}$ is indeed an isomorphism.

Naturality

We need to show that, given functions $f\colon A\to X$ and $g\colon B\to Y$, the diagram

commutes. Indeed, this diagram acts on elements as

and hence indeed commutes. Therefore $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}$ is a natural transformation.

Being a Natural Isomorphism

Since $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}$ is natural and $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},-1}$ is a componentwise inverse to $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}$, it follows from Chapter 11: Categories, Item 2 of Proposition 11.9.7.1.2 that $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},-1}$ is also natural. Thus $\sigma ^{\mathsf{Sets},\mathchoice {\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}{\mathbin {\scriptscriptstyle \textstyle \coprod }}}$ is a natural isomorphism.

The Clowder Project

5.2.6 The Symmetry