The left unitor of the product of sets is the natural isomorphism

whose component

λXSets:pt×XX

at XObj(Sets) is given by

λXSets(,x)=defx

for each (,x)pt×X.

Invertibility
The inverse of λXSets is the morphism

λXSets,1:Xpt×X

defined by

λXSets,1(x)=def(,x)

for each xX. Indeed:

  • Invertibility I. We have

    [λXSets,1λXSets](pt,x)=λXSets,1(λXSets(pt,x))=λXSets,1(x)=(pt,x)=[idpt×X](pt,x)

    for each (pt,x)pt×X, and therefore we have

    λXSets,1λXSets=idpt×X.

  • Invertibility II. We have

    [λXSetsλXSets,1](x)=λXSets(λXSets,1(x))=λXSets,1(pt,x)=x=[idX](x)

    for each xX, and therefore we have

    λXSetsλXSets,1=idX.

Therefore λXSets is indeed an isomorphism.

Naturality
We need to show that, given a function f:XY, the diagram

commutes. Indeed, this diagram acts on elements as

and hence indeed commutes. Therefore λSets is a natural transformation.

Being a Natural Isomorphism
Since λSets is natural and λSets,1 is a componentwise inverse to λSets, it follows from Chapter 9: Categories, Item 2 of Proposition 9.9.7.1.2 that λSets,1 is also natural. Thus λSets is a natural isomorphism.


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