1,396 research outputs found
Dialectica Interpretation with Marked Counterexamples
Goedel's functional "Dialectica" interpretation can be used to extract
functional programs from non-constructive proofs in arithmetic by employing two
sorts of higher-order witnessing terms: positive realisers and negative
counterexamples. In the original interpretation decidability of atoms is
required to compute the correct counterexample from a set of candidates. When
combined with recursion, this choice needs to be made for every step in the
extracted program, however, in some special cases the decision on negative
witnesses can be calculated only once. We present a variant of the
interpretation in which the time complexity of extracted programs can be
improved by marking the chosen witness and thus avoiding recomputation. The
achieved effect is similar to using an abortive control operator to interpret
computational content of non-constructive principles.Comment: In Proceedings CL&C 2010, arXiv:1101.520
Causal Quantum Theory and the Collapse Locality Loophole
Causal quantum theory is an umbrella term for ordinary quantum theory
modified by two hypotheses: state vector reduction is a well-defined process,
and strict local causality applies. The first of these holds in some versions
of Copenhagen quantum theory and need not necessarily imply practically
testable deviations from ordinary quantum theory. The second implies that
measurement events which are spacelike separated have no non-local
correlations. To test this prediction, which sharply differs from standard
quantum theory, requires a precise theory of state vector reduction.
Formally speaking, any precise version of causal quantum theory defines a
local hidden variable theory. However, causal quantum theory is most naturally
seen as a variant of standard quantum theory. For that reason it seems a more
serious rival to standard quantum theory than local hidden variable models
relying on the locality or detector efficiency loopholes.
Some plausible versions of causal quantum theory are not refuted by any Bell
experiments to date, nor is it obvious that they are inconsistent with other
experiments. They evade refutation via a neglected loophole in Bell experiments
-- the {\it collapse locality loophole} -- which exists because of the possible
time lag between a particle entering a measuring device and a collapse taking
place. Fairly definitive tests of causal versus standard quantum theory could
be made by observing entangled particles separated by light
seconds.Comment: Discussion expanded; typos corrected; references adde
The Historical Development of the Logica vetus
Resum disponible en anglèsThis paper is a historical survey of the logica vetus, which is distinguished by characterizing and contextualizing the main contributions of the most significant logicians of that period
A evolução histórica da Logica vetus
Este artigo é uma exposição panorâmica da história da logica vetus, que se distingue por caracterizar e contextualizar as principais contribuições dos lógicos mais expressivos do perÃodo em questão.This paper is a historical survey of the logica vetus, which is distinguished by characterizing and contextualizing the main contributions of the most significant logicians of that period
Plural Slot Theory
Kit Fine (2000) breaks with tradition, arguing that, pace Russell (e.g., 1903: 228), relations have neither directions nor converses. He considers two ways to conceive of these new "neutral" relations, positionalism and anti-positionalism, and argues that the latter should be preferred to the former. Cody Gilmore (2013) argues for a generalization of positionalism, slot theory, the view that a property or relation is n-adic if and only if there are exactly n slots in it, and (very roughly) that each slot may be occupied by at most one entity. Slot theory (and with it, positionalism) bears the full brunt of Fine's (2000) symmetric completions and conflicting adicities problems. I fully develop an alternative, plural slot theory (or pocket theory), which avoids these problems, key elements of which are first considered by Yi (1999: 168 ff.). Like the slot theorist, the pocket theorist posits entities (pockets) in properties and relations that can be occupied. But unlike the slot theorist, the pocket theorist denies that at most one entity can occupy any one of them. As a result, she must also deny that the adicity of a property or relation is equal to the number of occupiable entities in it. By abandoning these theses, however, the pocket theorist is able to avoid Fine's problems, resulting in a stronger theory about the internal structure of properties and relations. Pocket theory also avoids a serious drawback of anti-positionalism
Analysis of methods for extraction of programs from non-constructive proofs
The present thesis compares two computational interpretations of non-constructive proofs: refined A-translation and Gödel's functional "Dialectica" interpretation. The behaviour of the extraction methods is evaluated in the light of several case studies, where the resulting programs are analysed and compared. It is argued that the two interpretations correspond to specific backtracking implementations and that programs obtained via the refined A-translation tend to be simpler, faster and more readable than programs obtained via Gödel's interpretation.
Three layers of optimisation are suggested in order to produce faster and more readable programs. First, it is shown that syntactic repetition of subterms can be reduced by using let-constructions instead of meta substitutions abd thus obtaining a near linear size bound of extracted terms. The second improvement allows declaring syntactically computational parts of the proof as irrelevant and that this can be used to remove redundant parameters, possibly improving the efficiency of the program. Finally, a special case of induction is identified, for which a more efficient recursive extracted term can be defined. It is shown the outcome of case distinctions can be memoised, which can result in exponential improvement of the average time complexity of the extracted program
Computability and analysis: the legacy of Alan Turing
We discuss the legacy of Alan Turing and his impact on computability and
analysis.Comment: 49 page
Can many-valued logic help to comprehend quantum phenomena?
Following {\L}ukasiewicz, we argue that future non-certain events should be
described with the use of many-valued, not 2-valued logic. The
Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger `paradox' is shown to be an artifact caused by
unjustified use of 2-valued logic while considering results of future
non-certain events. Description of properties of quantum objects before they
are measured should be performed with the use of propositional functions that
form a particular model of infinitely-valued {\L}ukasiewicz logic. This model
is distinguished by specific operations of negation, conjunction, and
disjunction that are used in it.Comment: 10 pages, no figure
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