Lax comma categories of ordered sets

Abstract

Let $\mathsf{Ord} $ be the category of (pre)ordered sets. Unlike $\mathsf{Ord}/X$, whose behaviour is well-known, not much can be found in the literature about the lax comma 2-category $\mathsf{Ord} //X$. In this paper we show that the forgetful functor $\mathsf{Ord} //X\to \mathsf{Ord} $ is topological if and only if $X$ is complete. Moreover, under suitable hypothesis, $\mathsf{Ord} // X$ is complete and cartesian closed if and only if $X$ is. We end by analysing descent in this category. Namely, when $X$ is complete and cartesian closed, we show that, for a morphism in $\mathsf{Ord} //X$, being pointwise effective for descent in $\mathsf{Ord} $ is sufficient, while being effective for descent in $\mathsf{Ord} $ is necessary, to be effective for descent in $\mathsf{Ord} //X$.