# Topos Polynomial Functors

> Polynomial functors and dialectica categories following Topos Institute's formalization by David Spivak, Nelson Niu, and Valeria de Paiva.

- Skill: `plurigrid/topos-polynomial-functors` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add plurigrid/topos-polynomial-functors`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/plurigrid/topos-polynomial-functors/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: plurigrid (https://skillmd.com/u/plurigrid)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/plurigrid/topos-polynomial-functors

---

# Topos Polynomial Functors Skill

Polynomial functors and dialectica categories following Topos Institute's formalization by David Spivak, Nelson Niu, and Valeria de Paiva.

## Core Concepts

### The Poly Category

**Poly** is the category of polynomial functors with remarkable structure:
- Complete and cocomplete
- 3 orthogonal factorization systems
- 2 monoidal closed structures (⊗ composition, × parallel)

### Free Sum and Product Completion: ΣΠC

Objects of ΣΠC are formal expressions:
```
∑_{i∈I} ∏_{a∈A_i} c_{i,a}
```

**Key distributive law** (products of sums ↔ sums of products):
```
∏_{i∈I} ∑_{a∈A_i} c_{i,a} ≅ ∑_{ā∈∏_{i∈I}A_i} ∏_{i∈I} c_{i,ā_i}
```

### Polynomial Structure: Positions, Directions, Predicates

For polynomial `p = ∑_{i∈I} y^{A_i}`:
- **Positions** (I): Where we are
- **Directions** (A_i): Where we can go from position i
- **Predicates**: Properties at each position/direction pair

### Morphisms in ΣΠC

A morphism `φ: p → q` consists of:
1. **Forward on positions**: `φ₁: I_p → I_q`
2. **Backward on directions**: `φ♯: A_{q,φ₁(i)} → A_{p,i}`
3. **Forward on predicates**: `φ₂: c_{p,i,a} → c_{q,φ₁(i),φ♯(a)}`

### Vertical-Cartesian Factorization

Every morphism factors as **vertical** then **cartesian**:
- **Vertical**: Only changes position (identity on directions)
- **Cartesian**: Only changes directions/predicates (identity on positions)

```
p --vertical--> r --cartesian--> q
```

### Monomials: Mo(C)

**Monomials** are polynomials with single position:
```
Mo(C) ⊂ ΣΠC where objects are ∏_{a∈A} c_a
```

Monomials correspond to **bimorphic lenses** in functional programming.

## Dialectica Categories

### D(Set) - Dialectica Sets
Objects: (U, X, α: U×X → 2)
Morphisms: (f, F) where f: U → V, F: U×Y → X with α(u,F(u,y)) ⊢ β(f(u),y)

### G(Set) - Gödel Dialectica  
Like D(Set) but with total relations.

### Gd(C) - Generalized Dialectica
Parameterized by base category C with fibration structure.

**Bridge**: Dialectica = ΣΠ(2) with predicate structure

## Key Formulas

### Polynomial Functor Application
```
p(Y) = ∑_{i∈I} Y^{A_i} = ∑_{i∈I} (A_i → Y)
```

### Lens as Polynomial Morphism
```
Lens(S,T,A,B) ≅ Hom_Poly(Sy^S, Ty^A×B)
```

### Monoidal Composition
```
(p ⊗ q)(Y) = p(q(Y))
p ⊗ q = ∑_{i∈I_p} ∑_{j∈I_q^{A_i}} y^{∑_{a∈A_i} B_{j(a)}}
```

## Usage Patterns

### Define a Polynomial
```julia
# p(y) = 2y³ + y = ∑_{i∈{0,1}} y^{A_i}
# where A_0 = 3, A_1 = 1
poly_p = Polynomial(
    positions = [:left, :right],
    directions = Dict(:left => 3, :right => 1)
)
```

### Compose Polynomials
```julia
# (p ⊗ q)(y) = p(q(y))
composed = poly_compose(p, q)
```

### Vertical-Cartesian Factor
```julia
v, c = factor_vc(morphism)
# morphism = c ∘ v
```

## Cross-Skill Synergies

| Skill | Connection |
|-------|------------|
| `open-games` | Games as polynomial coalgebras |
| `dialectica` | D(Set) ≅ ΣΠ(2) with predicates |
| `gay-mcp` | Position=color, direction=trit |
| `kan-extensions` | Poly has all Kan extensions |
| `acsets` | Polynomial schemas for C-sets |

## Quick Reference

```
ΣΠC = Free sum-product completion
Poly = ΣΠ(Set)
Mo(C) = Monomials ⊂ ΣΠC
D(Set) = Dialectica = ΣΠ(2) + predicates

Morphism = (forward-pos, backward-dir, forward-pred)
Factor = Vertical ; Cartesian
```

---

## End-of-Skill Interface

## Integration with Gay-MCP

Map polynomial structure to color generation:
```julia
# Positions → Colors (deterministic from seed)
# Directions → Trits (GF(3) backward map)
# Predicates → Validation (forward on properties)

struct PolyColor
    position::UInt64      # seed/index → color
    directions::NTuple{3, Int8}  # trit triple
    predicate::Bool       # validation result
end
```

## Integration with Open Games

Polynomial functors model **open games**:
```
Game(X,S,R,Y) ≅ Lens(X×S, Y×R)
             ≅ ∑_{σ:X→Y} ∏_{x:X} R → S
```

- **Positions** = Strategy profiles
- **Directions** = Deviations
- **Predicates** = Equilibrium conditions

## Integration with Dialectica Skill

```
Dialectica ──────────────────────── Poly
    │                                  │
    │  D(Set) ≅ ΣΠ(2)                 │
    │  with predicate fibration       │
    │                                  │
    ▼                                  ▼
Proof-relevant                   Compositional
game semantics                   open systems
```

## References

- Spivak, Niu: "Polynomial Functors: A Mathematical Theory of Interaction"
- de Paiva: "Dialectica Categories" 
- Topos Institute Blog: poly.math.mit.edu
- Ahman, Uustalu: "Directed Containers as Categories"


---

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