Is the category with one object and its identity morphism unique

category-theory

According to Awodey's Category Theory, the category $\mathbf{1}$ is defined as the category having one object and only the identity arrow. Is this definition supposed to describe a unique mathematical object?

Both $A=\{1\}$ equipped with $1_{A}$ and $B=\{1,2\}$ equipped with $1_{B}$ satisfy the above definition but are clearly different.

Do we say that any category with a single object and only the identity morphism is an example of a category $\mathbf{1}$, just like any structured set satisfying the group axioms is an example of a group?

I'm trying to teach myself category theory, so if this question reveals a fundamental understanding please let me know.

Best Answer

This category is not unique, but it is unique up to isomorphism. So this definition is ambiguous in the same totally harmless sense as saying “the trivial group is the group with one element.” Indeed, any two one-element sets $(X,Y)$ give an example of $\mathbf 1$ in a unique way, once one set is chosen to contain the object and the other, the morphism.

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