Relational Graph Models at Work

We study the relational graph models that constitute a natural subclass of relational models of lambda-calculus. We prove that among the lambda-theories induced by such models there exists a minimal one, and that the corresponding relational graph model is very natural and easy to construct. We then study relational graph models that are fully abstract, in the sense that they capture some observational equivalence between lambda-terms. We focus on the two main observational equivalences in the lambda-calculus, the theory H+ generated by taking as observables the beta-normal forms, and H* generated by considering as observables the head normal forms. On the one hand we introduce a notion of lambda-K\"onig model and prove that a relational graph model is fully abstract for H+ if and only if it is extensional and lambda-K\"onig. On the other hand we show that the dual notion of hyperimmune model, together with extensionality, captures the full abstraction for H*

Effective lambda-models vs recursively enumerable lambda-theories

A longstanding open problem is whether there exists a non syntactical model of the untyped lambda-calculus whose theory is exactly the least lambda-theory (l-beta). In this paper we investigate the more general question of whether the equational/order theory of a model of the (untyped) lambda-calculus can be recursively enumerable (r.e. for brevity). We introduce a notion of effective model of lambda-calculus calculus, which covers in particular all the models individually introduced in the literature. We prove that the order theory of an effective model is never r.e.; from this it follows that its equational theory cannot be l-beta or l-beta-eta. We then show that no effective model living in the stable or strongly stable semantics has an r.e. equational theory. Concerning Scott's semantics, we investigate the class of graph models and prove that no order theory of a graph model can be r.e., and that there exists an effective graph model whose equational/order theory is minimum among all theories of graph models. Finally, we show that the class of graph models enjoys a kind of downwards Lowenheim-Skolem theorem.Comment: 34

Models and theories of lambda calculus

A quarter of century after Barendregt's main book, a wealth of interesting problems about models and theories of the untyped lambda-calculus are still open. In this thesis we will be mainly interested in the main semantics of lambda-calculus (i.e., the Scott-continuous, the stable, and the strongly stable semantics) but we will also define and study two new kinds of semantics: the relational and the indecomposable semantics. Models of the untyped lambda-calculus may be defined either as reflexive objects in Cartesian closed categories (categorical models) or as combinatory algebras satisfying the five axioms of Curry and the Meyer-Scott axiom (lambda-models). Concerning categorical models we will see that each of them can be presented as a lambda-model, even when the underlying category does not have enough points, and we will provide sufficient conditions for categorical models living in arbitrary cpo-enriched Cartesian closed categories to have H^* as equational theory. We will build a categorical model living in a non-concrete Cartesian closed category of sets and relations (relational semantics) which satisfies these conditions, and we will prove that the associated lambda-model enjoys some algebraic properties which make it suitable for modelling non-deterministic extensions of lambda-calculus. Concerning combinatory algebras, we will prove that they satisfy a generalization of Stone representation theorem stating that every combinatory algebra is isomorphic to a weak Boolean product of directly indecomposable combinatory algebras. We will investigate the semantics of lambda-calculus whose models are directly indecomposable as combinatory algebras (the indecomposable semantics) and we will show that this semantics is large enough to include all the main semantics and all the term models of semi-sensible lambda-theories, and that it is however largely incomplete. Finally, we will investigate the problem of whether there exists a non-syntactical model of lambda-calculus belonging to the main semantics which has an r.e. (recursively enumerable) order or equational theory. This is a natural generalization of Honsell-Ronchi Della Rocca's longstanding open problem about the existence of a Scott-continuous model of lambda-beta or lambda-beta-eta. Then, we introduce an appropriate notion of effective model of lambda-calculus, which covers in particular all the models individually introduced in the literature, and we prove that no order theory of an effective model can be r.e.; from this it follows that its equational theory cannot be lambda-beta or lambda-beta-eta. Then, we show that no effective model living in the stable or strongly stable semantics has an r.e. equational theory. Concerning Scott-continuous semantics, we prove that no order theory of a graph model can be r.e. and that many effective graph models do not have an r.e. equational theory.Dans cette thèse on s'intéresse surtout aux sémantiques principales du λ-calcul (c'est- a-dire la sémantique continue de Scott, la sémantique stable, et la sémantique fortement stable) mais on introduit et étudie aussi deux nouvelles sémantiques : la sémantique relationnelle et la sémantique indécomposable. Les modèles du λ-calcul pur peuvent être définis soit comme des objets réflexifs dans des catégories Cartésiennes fermées (modèles catégoriques) soit comme des algèbres combinatoires satisfaisant les cinq axiomes de Curry et l'axiome de Meyer-Scott ( λ-modèles). En ce qui concerne les modèles catégoriques, on montre que tout modèle catégorique peut être présenté comme un λ-modèle, même si la ccc (catégorie Cartésienne fermée) sous-jacente n'a pas assez de points, et on donne des conditions su santes pour qu'un modèle catégorique vivant dans une ccc \cpo-enriched" arbitraire ait H pour théorie équationnelle. On construit un modèle catégorique qui vit dans une ccc d'ensembles et relations (sémantique relationnelle) et qui satisfait ces conditions. De plus, on montre que le λ-modèle associe possède des propriétés algébriques qui le rendent apte a modéliser des extensions non-déterministes du -calcul. En ce qui concerne les algèbres combinatoires, on montre qu'elles satisfont une généralisation du Théorème de Représentation de Stone qui dit que toute algèbre combinatoire est isomorphe a un produit Booléen faible d'algèbres combinatoires directement indécomposables. On étudie la sémantique du λ-calcul dont les modèles sont directement indécomposable comme algèbres combinatoires (sémantique indécomposable); on prouve en particulier que cette sémantique est assez générale pour inclure d'une part les trois sémantiques principales et d'autre part les modèles de termes de toutes les λ-théories semi-sensibles. Par contre, on montre aussi qu'elle est largement incomplète. Finalement, on étudie la question de l'existence d'un modèle non-syntaxique du λ-calcul appartenant aux sémantiques principales et ayant une théorie équationnelle ou inéquationnelle r.e. (récursivement énumérable). Cette question est une généralisation naturelle du problème de Honsell et Ronchi Della Rocca (ouvert depuis plus que vingt ans) concernant l'existence d'un modèle continu de λβ ou λβη. On introduit une notion adéquate de modèles effectifs du λ-calcul, qui couvre en particulier tous les modèles qui ont été introduits individuellement en littérature, et on prouve que la théorie inéquationnelle d'un modèle effectif n'est jamais r.e. ; en conséquence sa théorie équationnelle ne peut pas être λβ ou λβη. On montre aussi que la théorie équationnelle d'un modèle effectif vivant dans la sémantique stable ou fortement stable n'est jamais r.e. En ce qui concerne la sémantique continue de Scott, on démontre que la théorie in équationnelle d'un modèle de graphe n'est jamais r.e. et qu'il existe beaucoup de modèles de graphes effectifs qui ont une théorie équationnelle qui n'est pas r.e

Beta-Conversion, Efficiently

Type-checking in dependent type theories relies on conversion, i.e. testing given lambda-terms for equality up to beta-evaluation and alpha-renaming. Computer tools based on the lambda-calculus currently implement conversion by means of algorithms whose complexity has not been identified, and in some cases even subject to an exponential time overhead with respect to the natural cost models (number of evaluation steps and size of input lambda-terms). This dissertation shows that in the pure lambda-calculus it is possible to obtain conversion algorithms with bilinear time complexity when evaluation is carried following evaluation strategies that generalize Call-by-Value to the stronger case required by conversion

Graph Lambda Theories

to appear in MSCSInternational audienceA longstanding open problem in lambda calculus is whether there exist continuous models of the untyped lambda calculus whose theory is exactly lambda-beta or the the least sensible lambda-theory H (generated by equating all the unsolvable terms). A related question, raised recently by C. Berline, is whether, given a class of lambda models, there are a minimal lambda-theory and a minimal sensible lambda-theory represented by it. In this paper, we give a positive answer to this question for the class of graph models à la Plotkin-Scott-Engeler. In particular, we build two graph models whose theories are respectively the set of equations satisfied in any graph model and in any sensible graph model. We conjecture that the least sensible graph theory, where ''graph theory" means ''lambda-theory of a graph model", is equal to H, while in one of the main results of the paper we show the non-existence of a graph model whose equational theory is exactly the beta-theory. Another related question is whether, given a class of lambda models, there is a maximal sensible lambdatheory represented by it. In the main result of the paper we characterize the greatest sensible graph theory as the lambda-theory B generated by equating lambda-terms with the same Boehm tree. This result is a consequence of the main technical theorem of the paper: all the equations between solvable lambda-terms, which have different Boehm trees, fail in every sensible graph model. A further result of the paper is the existence of a continuum of different sensible graph theories strictly included in B

Enriched Lawvere Theories for Operational Semantics

Enriched Lawvere theories are a generalization of Lawvere theories that allow us to describe the operational semantics of formal systems. For example, a graph enriched Lawvere theory describes structures that have a graph of operations of each arity, where the vertices are operations and the edges are rewrites between operations. Enriched theories can be used to equip systems with operational semantics, and maps between enriching categories can serve to translate between different forms of operational and denotational semantics. The Grothendieck construction lets us study all models of all enriched theories in all contexts in a single category. We illustrate these ideas with the SKI-combinator calculus, a variable-free version of the lambda calculus.Comment: In Proceedings ACT 2019, arXiv:2009.0633

Lambda theories of effective lambda models

A longstanding open problem is whether there exists a non-syntactical model of untyped lambda-calculus whose theory is exactly the least equational lambda-theory (=Lb). In this paper we make use of the Visser topology for investigating the more general question of whether the equational (resp. order) theory of a non syntactical model M, say Eq(M) (resp. Ord(M)) can be recursively enumerable (= r.e. below). We conjecture that no such model exists and prove the conjecture for several large classes of models. In particular we introduce a notion of effective lambda-model and show that for all effective models M, Eq(M) is different from Lb, and Ord(M) is not r.e. If moreover M belongs to the stable or strongly stable semantics, then Eq(M) is not r.e. Concerning Scott's continuous semantics we explore the class of (all) graph models, show that it satisfies Lowenheim Skolem theorem, that there exists a minimum order/equational graph theory, and that both are the order/equ theories of an effective graph model. We deduce that no graph model can have an r.e. order theory, and also show that for some large subclasses, the same is true for Eq(M).Comment: 15 pages, accepted CSL'0