The Ho-Zhao problem

Abstract

Given a poset P, the set, Γ(P) of all Scott closed sets ordered by inclusion forms a complete lattice. A subcategory C of Posd (the category of posets and Scott-continuous maps) is said to be Γ-faithful if for any posets P and Q in C, Γ(P)≅Γ(Q) implies P≅Q. It is known that the category of all continuous dcpos and the category of bounded complete dcpos are Γ-faithful, while Posd is not. Ho & Zhao (2009) asked whether the category DCPO of dcpos is Γ-faithful. In this paper, we answer this question in the negative by exhibiting a counterexample. To achieve this, we introduce a new subcategory of dcpos which is Γ-faithful. This subcategory subsumes all currently known Γ-faithful subcategories. With this new concept in mind, we construct the desired counterexample which relies heavily on Johnstone's famous dcpo which is not sober in its Scott topology.