Operads for Symmetric Monoidal Categories

Abstract

This paper gives an explicit description of the categorical operad whose algebras are precisely symmetric monoidal categories. This allows us to place the operad in a sequence of four, and therefore a sequence of four successively stricter concepts of symmetric monoidal category. A companion paper will use this operadic presentation to describe a vast array of underlying multicategories for a symmetric monoidal category.

10 pages. Makes minor expository improvements from the previous version