Alphabeta Math
TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-08-26
How statement and proof provenance work

The first chip identifies the source of the statement or construction; the second identifies the source of its local proof or verification.

  • Literature-sourced: the exact statement appears in a cited source; only wording and notation differ.
  • AI-adapted: a semantically identical restatement of literature-sourced material, modulo indexing, notation, and boundary cases adopted by the library.
  • AI-generated: a genuinely novel statement formulated by AI, with no source for the claim itself.

These labels describe origin, not correctness: citations and verification chips remain separate evidence.

Kan extensions are unique up to unique isomorphism

Statement

Let K:C→D and F:C→E be functors.

If (L,η) and (L′,η′) are left Kan extensions of F along K, then there is a unique natural isomorphism α:L⇒L′ such that

η′=(αK)∘η.

If (R,ε) and (R′,ε′) are right Kan extensions of F along K, then there is a unique natural isomorphism β:R⇒R′ such that

ε=ε′∘(βK).

So both left and right Kan extensions are unique up to unique compatible isomorphism.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: Functors K:C→D and F:C→E; left Kan extensions (L,η) and (L′,η′) of F along K; and right Kan extensions (R,ε) and (R′,ε′) of F along K.

[L1]

A left Kan extension (L,η) of F along K is initial among pairs (M,α) with α:F⇒MK, and a right Kan extension (R,ε) is terminal among pairs (M,β) with β:MK⇒F (Left and right Kan extensions).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1L1

Since (L,η) is a left Kan extension and η′:F⇒L′K is another such pair, [L1] gives a unique natural transformation α:L⇒L′ with η′=(αK)∘η; similarly [L1] gives a unique natural transformation α′:L′⇒L with η=(α′K)∘η′.

2.1L1step 1.1

By step 1.1, ((α′α)K)∘η=(α′K)∘η′=η, while (1LK)∘η=η trivially. So the uniqueness clause of [L1] forces α′α=1L; likewise αα′=1L′. Hence α is a natural isomorphism, and its compatibility with η was built in at step 1.1.

3.1L1step 2.1∎

The same argument with the terminal clause of [L1] gives unique β:R⇒R′ and β′:R′⇒R satisfying ε=ε′∘(βK) and ε′=ε∘(β′K), and uniqueness forces β′β=1R and ββ′=1R′. So right Kan extensions are unique up to unique compatible isomorphism as well.

Depends on

Used by

Nothing in the library uses this result yet.

Dependency tree · two levels

4 results within two dependency steps of this one, each drawn at its shortest distance from it. An arrow runs from a result to what uses it, so the chart reads left to right and ends at this result, which carries a heavier outline. Every node is a link to that result. Click elsewhere on the chart to enlarge it.

Sources