1. What is the conflict between old and new quantum?
The conflict between the old and new quantum arises from the fundamental incompatibility between the (bi-)cartesian monoidal structure of the old quantum and the multiplicative (tensor) monoidal structure of the new quantum. This conflict is resolved by categorification or 2-linear algebra, which considers this work as part of 2-categorical quantum mechanics initiated by Vicary. The categorical interpretation of entanglement as adjointness in a compact closed category further highlights the discrepancy between the two quantum frameworks. The graphical calculus applied to categorified matrices provides a concrete representation of additional structure on the base category, such as biproducts, duals, and the dagger, leading to a new graphical proof of the teleportation protocol and a connection to similar calculi in the literature.
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2. What is path calculus in graphical linear algebra?
Path calculus, also known as graphical linear algebra, is a concept that explores the coincidence between path counting and matrices with natural number entries. It uses conventions that align with the development of categorified linear algebra. In this context, a matrix with m rows and n columns corresponds to a path diagram with m outputs and n inputs. The diagrams are drawn algebraically from right to left, and horizontal composition of diagrams corresponds to matrix multiplication. Empty matrices are denoted using subscripts, and equations are rendered using the vertical dimension. The punchline of graphical linear algebra is that it allows the recovery of the theory of matrices with natural number entries using equational diagrammatic theory. This concept can be further extended to semi-rings and rigs, leading to the categorification of natural numbers and the theory of Kapranov-Voevodsky 2-vector spaces.
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3. What is categorified linear algebra and how is it related to bimonoidal categories?
Categorified linear algebra is a branch of mathematics that extends linear algebra concepts to the realm of category theory. It involves the study of matrices over a bimonoidal category, which is a category equipped with an additive symmetric monoidal structure and a multiplicative monoidal structure. These structures allow for rig-like operations on the objects of the category. Bimonoidal categories provide a framework for performing linear algebraic operations on objects in a categorical setting. In the context of categorified linear algebra, matrices are formed over a bimonoidal category, and the operations of matrix multiplication and composition are defined using the bimonoidal structure. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of linear algebraic concepts and their connections to category theory. Important examples of bimonoidal categories include the poset of truth values and finite-dimensional vector spaces over a field. By studying categorified linear algebra, researchers can explore the relationships between linear algebra and category theory, leading to new insights and applications in various fields of mathematics and beyond.
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4. What is the inverse isomorphism in the given section?
The inverse isomorphism in the given section is rendered as the vertically opposite diagram. It is a concept that represents the relationship between two mathematical structures, where one structure can be mapped onto another in a reversible manner. In this context, the inverse isomorphism is used to describe the relationship between the isomorphism equations for (mul-hom) and the pulling of a string [A] onto a pair of surfaces. This isomorphism is 2-natural, meaning it satisfies certain properties that make it compatible with the categorical structure of the diagram. The inverse isomorphism plays a crucial role in understanding the categorified path calculus rule (add) and the enlargement of the domain of definition to Mat(C), which allows certain expressions to evaluate to C itself. This concept is further discussed in Section 3.3.
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