§ Galois correspondence, functorially
For a given group G, build the category of subgroups as follows:
The objects aren't exactly subgroups, but are isomorphic to them ---
for each coset H, the category has the object as the coset space G/H,
equipped with the left-action of G on the coset space . The morphisms
between G/H and G/K are the intertwining maps ϕ:G/H→G/K
which commute with the action of G: (g×)∘ϕ=ϕ∘(g×).
We first work out what it means to have such an intertwining map. Suppose we pick
a coset of H, which is an element of the coset space αH∈G/H for some α∈G.
Now the intertwining condition says that ϕ(gαH)=gϕ(αH). If we pick
α=e, then we get ϕ(gH)=gϕ(H). Thus, the intertwining map
is entirely determined by where it sends H, ie, the image ϕ(H).
Now, let the image of ϕ(H) be some coset γK∈G/K. Suppose
that the coset gH=g′H, since writing a coset as gH is not unique. Apply ϕ
to both sides and use that ϕ is intertwining. This gives
ϕ(gH)=gϕ(H)=gγK and ϕ(g′H)=g′ϕ(H)=g′γK.
For these to be equal, we need γ−1g′−1gγ∈K. But since
gH=g′H, we know that this is equivalient to gg′−1∈H. Thus, the above condition becomes
equivalent to ∀h∈H,γ−1hγ∈K.
So we now have a category whose objects are coset spaces and whose morphisms are intertwining maps.
We now consider the category of a given field extension L/F, which has objects intermediate fields
between L and F, and has morphisms as field morphisms which fix F.