15 Jul
2007
15 Jul
'07
2:55 p.m.
On 7/15/07, Miguel Mitrofanov
SOR> I've heard that Monads are in some way like Monoids, hence the SOR> name. But I don't understand the explanation yet myself :(
Just compare:
Monoid: a set M with maps ident: M^0 -> M and product: M^2 -> M
(here M^0 is a one-element set)
Monad: a functor M with natural transformations return: M^0 -> M and join: M^2 -> M
(here M^0 is an identity functor)
I had forgotten that the identity element was from M^0 -> M. In my gut I always feel it should be something more like M -> M, though I realize (as Stefan pointed out) I'm thinking too much in set-terms and not in category-terms. David