NLab
Encyclopedia
nLab is a wiki
-lab of a novel kind, for collaborative work on mathematics
, physics
, and philosophy
, including original research, with a focus on (higher) category theory
. The nLab espouses the n-point of view (nPOV): that category theory and higher category theory provide a useful unifying viewpoint for mathematics, physics and philosophy. The nLab was originally conceived to provide a repository for ideas (and even new research) generated in the comments on posts at the n-category cafe
, a group blog run (at the time) by John Baez, David Corfield
and Urs Schreiber. It has since grown to include whole research projects and encyclopedic material.
It is one of two wikis mentioned by the mathematical physicist John Baez
in his recent review of math blogs in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society
. Baez is the author of the earliest mathematical physics
blog
, which has run since January 1993.
The nLab is listed on MathOverflow as a standard online mathematics reference to check before asking questions. Many questions link to the nLab for background material.
The nLab has an informal 'steering committee', which "doesn't run the nLab", but only exists in order to resolve issues that would cause the whole project to run into trouble. The steering committee operates mainly from the nForum, which also serves as a central hub for recent changes and the discussions attached to them.
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
-lab of a novel kind, for collaborative work on mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, including original research, with a focus on (higher) category theory
Category theory
Category theory is an area of study in mathematics that examines in an abstract way the properties of particular mathematical concepts, by formalising them as collections of objects and arrows , where these collections satisfy certain basic conditions...
. The nLab espouses the n-point of view (nPOV): that category theory and higher category theory provide a useful unifying viewpoint for mathematics, physics and philosophy. The nLab was originally conceived to provide a repository for ideas (and even new research) generated in the comments on posts at the n-category cafe
N-category cafe
n-category café is a group blog concerning higher category theory and its applications, as well as its philosophical repercussions. The founders of the blog are John Baez, David Corfield and Urs Schreiber, and the list of blog authors has extended since...
, a group blog run (at the time) by John Baez, David Corfield
David Corfield
David Corfield is a philosopher specializing in mathematics and psychology. He is the author of Towards a Philosophy of Real Mathematics , in which he argues that the philosophical implications of mathematics did not stop with Kurt Gödel's incompleteness theorems...
and Urs Schreiber. It has since grown to include whole research projects and encyclopedic material.
It is one of two wikis mentioned by the mathematical physicist John Baez
in his recent review of math blogs in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society
Notices of the American Mathematical Society
Notices of the American Mathematical Society is a membership magazine of the American Mathematical Society, published monthly except for the combined June/July issue. It is the world's most widely read mathematics magazine, sent to the approximately 30,000 AMS members worldwide...
. Baez is the author of the earliest mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, which has run since January 1993.
The nLab is listed on MathOverflow as a standard online mathematics reference to check before asking questions. Many questions link to the nLab for background material.
The nLab has an informal 'steering committee', which "doesn't run the nLab", but only exists in order to resolve issues that would cause the whole project to run into trouble. The steering committee operates mainly from the nForum, which also serves as a central hub for recent changes and the discussions attached to them.