cartesian closed categories

A Cartesian closed category is a mathematical framework where objects can be combined using products (like pairing ingredients) and where for any objects, you can form a "function object" that represents all possible functions from one object to another. It formalizes the idea of functions and their composition, similar to how in programming we think of functions as data. This structure ensures that functions and their interactions behave consistently, capturing the essence of both data structures and functional processes in a unified, abstract setting.