nLab
contractible space

Context

Topology

Higher category theory

higher category theory

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Definition

General

An ∞-groupoid or a topological space or another realization of the concept (∞,0)-category is contractible if it is weakly equivalent to the point.

(Cis contractible)(C*).(C \;\text{is contractible}) \Leftrightarrow (C \stackrel{\simeq}{\to} *) \,.

Sometimes one allows also the empty object to be contractible. To distinguish this, we say

Notice that since the Whitehead theorem applies in ∞Grpd, being weakly equivalent to the point is the same as there being a contraction.

For topological spaces

see also