The term “Retract Theorem” has been applied in literature in connection with group theory. In the present paper we prove that the Retract Theorem is valid (i) for each finite structure, and (ii) for each monounary algebra. On the other hand, we show that this theorem fails to be valid, in general, for algebras of the form , where each is unary and .
The minimal nontrivial endomorphism monoids of congruence lattices of algebras defined on a finite set are described. They correspond (via the Galois connection -) to the maximal nontrivial congruence lattices investigated and characterized by the authors in previous papers. Analogous results are provided for endomorphism monoids of quasiorder lattices .
Let be a connected monounary algebra. The paper deals with retract irreducibility of in the class of all connected monounary algebras and in the class of all monounary algebras.