Computation First: Rebuilding Constructivism with Effects (Invited Talk)

Abstract

Constructive logic and type theory have traditionally been grounded in pure, effect-free model of computation. This paper argues that such a restriction is not a foundational necessity but a historical artifact, and it advocates for a broader perspective of effectful constructivism, where computational effects, such as state, non-determinism, and exceptions, are directly and internally embedded in the logical and computational foundations. We begin by surveying examples where effects reshape logical principles, and then outline three approaches to effectful constructivism, focusing on realizability models: Monadic Combinatory Algebras, which extend classical partial combinatory algebras with effectful computation; Evidenced Frames, a flexible semantic structure capable of uniformly capturing a wide range of effects; and Effectful Higher-Order Logic (EffHOL), a syntactic approach that directly translates logical propositions into specifications for effectful programs. We further illustrate how concrete type theories can internalize effects, via the family of type theories TT^□_C. Together, these works demonstrate that effectful constructivism is not merely possible but a natural and robust extension of traditional frameworks