> Every time I try to learn about Category Theory, I get to a certain point and just start wondering "why?"
> I can't tell if I'm not smart enough to get it (I think that's the most likely answer). But it feels like some math people -- who have nothing better to do -- are just trying to create another level of abstraction.
> Are there things that Category Theory does that other branches couldn't already do? I'm curious to hear other takes on this.
No, category theory was not created for the sake of an another level of abstraction. It was created to talk about algebraic topology. I am not sure if you gain anything studying that. Probably you won't but who knows. (But I am thinking more and more that CT advocates are harmful, they trick people to dive into CT which just steals their time, and gives them nothing.)
> I can't tell if I'm not smart enough to get it (I think that's the most likely answer). But it feels like some math people -- who have nothing better to do -- are just trying to create another level of abstraction.
> Are there things that Category Theory does that other branches couldn't already do? I'm curious to hear other takes on this.
No, category theory was not created for the sake of an another level of abstraction. It was created to talk about algebraic topology. I am not sure if you gain anything studying that. Probably you won't but who knows. (But I am thinking more and more that CT advocates are harmful, they trick people to dive into CT which just steals their time, and gives them nothing.)