Category theory is a general mathematical theory of structures and of structures of structures. It occupied a central position in contemporary mathematics as well as computer science. This book describes the history of category theory whereby illuminating its symbiotic relationship to algebraic topology, homological algebra, algebraic geometry and mathematical logic and elaboratively develops the connections with the epistemological significance.
From the reviews:
"Krömer provides a more complete historical study of category theory and its applications from the beginnings to about 1970. ... It caught the attention of people interested in conceptual and philosophical issues ... . I recommend Krömer's work highly to anyone who seeks to gain an understanding of category-theoretic mathematics ... . an interesting contribution to the historical philosophy of mathematical practice ... . the book is more successful as a history. It is well produced, and the English is clear enough ... ." (José Ferreirós, Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Wissenschaften, Technik und Medizin, Issue 1, 2010)
"Krömer provides a more complete historical study of category theory and its applications from the beginnings to about 1970. ... It caught the attention of people interested in conceptual and philosophical issues ... . I recommend Krömer's work highly to anyone who seeks to gain an understanding of category-theoretic mathematics ... . an interesting contribution to the historical philosophy of mathematical practice ... . the book is more successful as a history. It is well produced, and the English is clear enough ... ." (José Ferreirós, Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Wissenschaften, Technik und Medizin, Issue 1, 2010)