On lax epimorphisms and the associated factorization

Abstract

We study lax epimorphisms in 2-categories, with special attention to $\mathsf{Cat}$ and $\mathcal{V}$-$\mathsf{Cat}$. We show that any 2-category with convenient colimits has an orthogonal $LaxEpi$-factorization system, and we give a concrete description of this factorization in $\mathsf{Cat}$.