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CounterexampleConstruction: AI-generatedVerification: AI-generatedprecheck passaudited 2026-08-16
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A complete locally small category with no small coseparating set

Counterexample

An object of S is a function x whose domain is a set of ordinals and whose value x(α) at each α∈dom⁡(x) is a set that is not a singleton. Read x as the ordinal-indexed family Xα={x(α)α∈dom⁡(x),{∅}otherwise, so that dom⁡(x)={α:Xα is not a singleton} is the family's support and each such family has exactly one code. Objects are recorded as codes because an object must be a set: a function whose domain is the whole class of ordinals is not one, and a class is a formula rather than an entity here (Class-sized category theory in ZFC: definable-class schemas, small and locally small categories, and why CAT is not formed).

A morphism x→y is a family (fα) of functions fα:Xα→Yα. Outside the set dom⁡(x)∪dom⁡(y) both coordinates are {∅} and fα is the unique map between them, so a morphism is determined by its restriction to that set and is recorded as that restriction — again a set. Composition and identities are coordinatewise.

Then S is complete and locally small but has no small coseparating set.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The category S defined above.

[L1]

A coseparating set detects distinct parallel arrows by postcomposition with a map into one of its members (Separating and coseparating sets of objects).

[L2]

Completeness means existence of limits for all small diagrams (Finite, small, and large limits and colimits; complete and cocomplete categories).

[L3]

The ordinals form a proper class, not a set (FALSE: the ordinals form a set).

Verification

technique · constructive
1.1construct

A morphism x→y is by construction a set-indexed family of functions on the set dom⁡(x)∪dom⁡(y), so the morphisms x→y form a subset of the product of the function sets YαXα over that index set. That product is a set, so every hom-collection is a set and S is locally small.

1.2L2

Let D be a small diagram in S and let T be the union of the supports of its set of objects, itself a set. Form the limit coordinatewise in Set: at α∈T take the limit Lα of the diagram of coordinates, and at α∉T every coordinate is {∅}, so the diagram there is constant at a one-element set and its limit is a one-element set. The code with domain {α∈T:Lα is not a singleton} and value Lα there is an object of S, and its cone legs are the coordinatewise limit projections, the unique map being taken outside T. A cone over D in S is exactly a coordinatewise cone, and the mediating map is coordinatewise unique, so this is a limit of D. The empty diagram has T=∅ and gives the code with empty domain. Every small diagram therefore has a limit, so [L2] makes S complete.

1.3L3

Let H be any small set of objects of S. The union T=⋃H∈Hdom⁡(H) is a set of ordinals. Were every ordinal a member of T the ordinals would be a set, contradicting [L3], so some ordinal lies outside T; let β be the least one, which is definable from T and involves no selection.

2.1step 1.3

Let x be the code with empty domain, so Xα={∅} for every α, and let y be the code with domain {β} and y(β)={0,1}. The two families f,g:x→y that send the single element of Xβ to 0 and to 1 respectively, and take the unique map at every other coordinate, are distinct morphisms. For every H∈H and every h:y→H, the coordinate Hβ is {∅} because β∉dom⁡(H), so hβ∘fβ=hβ∘gβ; the two composites agree at every other coordinate as well, so h∘f=h∘g.

3.1step 2.1L1discharge-construct∎

Therefore H does not detect the pair f≠g and is not coseparating by [L1]. Since the argument applies to every small H, S has no small coseparating set.

Depends on

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