5,476 research outputs found
The Event Calculus Assessed
The range of applicability of the Full Event Calculus is proven to be the Ksp-IA class in the Features and Fluents taxonomy. The proof is given with respect to the original definition of this preference logic, where no adjustments of the language or reasoning method were necessary. The result implies that the claims on the expressiveness and
problem-solving power of this logic were indeed correct
On the Rationality of Escalation
Escalation is a typical feature of infinite games. Therefore tools conceived
for studying infinite mathematical structures, namely those deriving from
coinduction are essential. Here we use coinduction, or backward coinduction (to
show its connection with the same concept for finite games) to study carefully
and formally the infinite games especially those called dollar auctions, which
are considered as the paradigm of escalation. Unlike what is commonly admitted,
we show that, provided one assumes that the other agent will always stop,
bidding is rational, because it results in a subgame perfect equilibrium. We
show that this is not the only rational strategy profile (the only subgame
perfect equilibrium). Indeed if an agent stops and will stop at every step, we
claim that he is rational as well, if one admits that his opponent will never
stop, because this corresponds to a subgame perfect equilibrium. Amazingly, in
the infinite dollar auction game, the behavior in which both agents stop at
each step is not a Nash equilibrium, hence is not a subgame perfect
equilibrium, hence is not rational.Comment: 19 p. This paper is a duplicate of arXiv:1004.525
Green public procurement of certified wood : impact on international trade and global welfare
This paper investigates the impact of green public procurement (governments’ purchases) of certified wood in the EU. A spatial partial price equilibrium model is developed to analyse whether this policy impacts interregional trade flows of wood and other regions’ economic welfare. The model contains an innovative feature which allows the introduction of consumers’ willingness to pay for certified wood, and producers’ willingness to accept certified wood production in order to determine the share of certified wood in consumption and demand. The outcome of the analysis demonstrates that green public procurement of certified wood in one region can create a trade barrier for other regions and decrease other regions’ economic welfare. In the worst case scenario, other regions’ production of non-certified wood even increases. This endangers forest conservation. Cost reductions and adequate financial compensation for certified wood producers can tackle these problems
Formalization of the fundamental group in untyped set theory using auto2
We present a new framework for formalizing mathematics in untyped set theory
using auto2. Using this framework, we formalize in Isabelle/FOL the entire
chain of development from the axioms of set theory to the definition of the
fundamental group for an arbitrary topological space. The auto2 prover is used
as the sole automation tool, and enables succinct proof scripts throughout the
project.Comment: 17 pages, accepted for ITP 201
Carnap: an Open Framework for Formal Reasoning in the Browser
This paper presents an overview of Carnap, a free and open framework for the development of formal reasoning applications. Carnap’s design emphasizes flexibility, extensibility, and rapid prototyping. Carnap-based applications are written in Haskell, but can be compiled to JavaScript to run in standard web browsers. This combination of features makes Carnap ideally suited for educational applications, where ease-of-use is crucial for students and adaptability to different teaching strategies and classroom needs is crucial for instructors. The paper describes Carnap’s implementation, along with its current and projected pedagogical applications
Development of a Translator from LLVM to ACL2
In our current work a library of formally verified software components is to
be created, and assembled, using the Low-Level Virtual Machine (LLVM)
intermediate form, into subsystems whose top-level assurance relies on the
assurance of the individual components. We have thus undertaken a project to
build a translator from LLVM to the applicative subset of Common Lisp accepted
by the ACL2 theorem prover. Our translator produces executable ACL2 formal
models, allowing us to both prove theorems about the translated models as well
as validate those models by testing. The resulting models can be translated and
certified without user intervention, even for code with loops, thanks to the
use of the def::ung macro which allows us to defer the question of termination.
Initial measurements of concrete execution for translated LLVM functions
indicate that performance is nearly 2.4 million LLVM instructions per second on
a typical laptop computer. In this paper we overview the translation process
and illustrate the translator's capabilities by way of a concrete example,
including both a functional correctness theorem as well as a validation test
for that example.Comment: In Proceedings ACL2 2014, arXiv:1406.123
Dandelion: Certified Approximations of Elementary Functions
Elementary function operations such as sin and exp cannot in general be computed exactly on today's digital computers, and thus have to be approximated. The standard approximations in library functions typically provide only a limited set of precisions, and are too inefficient for many applications. Polynomial approximations that are customized to a limited input domain and output accuracy can provide superior performance. In fact, the Remez algorithm computes the best possible approximation for a given polynomial degree, but has so far not been formally verified. This paper presents Dandelion, an automated certificate checker for polynomial approximations of elementary functions computed with Remez-like algorithms that is fully verified in the HOL4 theorem prover. Dandelion checks whether the difference between a polynomial approximation and its target reference elementary function remains below a given error bound for all inputs in a given constraint. By extracting a verified binary with the CakeML compiler, Dandelion can validate certificates within a reasonable time, fully automating previous manually verified approximations
- …