3,026 research outputs found
Applications of Metric Coinduction
Metric coinduction is a form of coinduction that can be used to establish
properties of objects constructed as a limit of finite approximations. One can
prove a coinduction step showing that some property is preserved by one step of
the approximation process, then automatically infer by the coinduction
principle that the property holds of the limit object. This can often be used
to avoid complicated analytic arguments involving limits and convergence,
replacing them with simpler algebraic arguments. This paper examines the
application of this principle in a variety of areas, including infinite
streams, Markov chains, Markov decision processes, and non-well-founded sets.
These results point to the usefulness of coinduction as a general proof
technique
The exp-log normal form of types
Lambda calculi with algebraic data types lie at the core of functional
programming languages and proof assistants, but conceal at least two
fundamental theoretical problems already in the presence of the simplest
non-trivial data type, the sum type. First, we do not know of an explicit and
implemented algorithm for deciding the beta-eta-equality of terms---and this in
spite of the first decidability results proven two decades ago. Second, it is
not clear how to decide when two types are essentially the same, i.e.
isomorphic, in spite of the meta-theoretic results on decidability of the
isomorphism.
In this paper, we present the exp-log normal form of types---derived from the
representation of exponential polynomials via the unary exponential and
logarithmic functions---that any type built from arrows, products, and sums,
can be isomorphically mapped to. The type normal form can be used as a simple
heuristic for deciding type isomorphism, thanks to the fact that it is a
systematic application of the high-school identities.
We then show that the type normal form allows to reduce the standard beta-eta
equational theory of the lambda calculus to a specialized version of itself,
while preserving the completeness of equality on terms. We end by describing an
alternative representation of normal terms of the lambda calculus with sums,
together with a Coq-implemented converter into/from our new term calculus. The
difference with the only other previously implemented heuristic for deciding
interesting instances of eta-equality by Balat, Di Cosmo, and Fiore, is that we
exploit the type information of terms substantially and this often allows us to
obtain a canonical representation of terms without performing sophisticated
term analyses
On computing fixpoints in well-structured regular model checking, with applications to lossy channel systems
We prove a general finite convergence theorem for "upward-guarded" fixpoint
expressions over a well-quasi-ordered set. This has immediate applications in
regular model checking of well-structured systems, where a main issue is the
eventual convergence of fixpoint computations. In particular, we are able to
directly obtain several new decidability results on lossy channel systems.Comment: 16 page
(Co-)Inductive semantics for Constraint Handling Rules
In this paper, we address the problem of defining a fixpoint semantics for
Constraint Handling Rules (CHR) that captures the behavior of both
simplification and propagation rules in a sound and complete way with respect
to their declarative semantics. Firstly, we show that the logical reading of
states with respect to a set of simplification rules can be characterized by a
least fixpoint over the transition system generated by the abstract operational
semantics of CHR. Similarly, we demonstrate that the logical reading of states
with respect to a set of propagation rules can be characterized by a greatest
fixpoint. Then, in order to take advantage of both types of rules without
losing fixpoint characterization, we present an operational semantics with
persistent. We finally establish that this semantics can be characterized by
two nested fixpoints, and we show the resulting language is an elegant
framework to program using coinductive reasoning.Comment: 17 page
The ZX-calculus is complete for stabilizer quantum mechanics
The ZX-calculus is a graphical calculus for reasoning about quantum systems
and processes. It is known to be universal for pure state qubit quantum
mechanics, meaning any pure state, unitary operation and post-selected pure
projective measurement can be expressed in the ZX-calculus. The calculus is
also sound, i.e. any equality that can be derived graphically can also be
derived using matrix mechanics. Here, we show that the ZX-calculus is complete
for pure qubit stabilizer quantum mechanics, meaning any equality that can be
derived using matrices can also be derived pictorially. The proof relies on
bringing diagrams into a normal form based on graph states and local Clifford
operations.Comment: 26 page
Time-ordering and a generalized Magnus expansion
Both the classical time-ordering and the Magnus expansion are well-known in
the context of linear initial value problems. Motivated by the noncommutativity
between time-ordering and time derivation, and related problems raised recently
in statistical physics, we introduce a generalization of the Magnus expansion.
Whereas the classical expansion computes the logarithm of the evolution
operator of a linear differential equation, our generalization addresses the
same problem, including however directly a non-trivial initial condition. As a
by-product we recover a variant of the time ordering operation, known as
T*-ordering. Eventually, placing our results in the general context of
Rota-Baxter algebras permits us to present them in a more natural algebraic
setting. It encompasses, for example, the case where one considers linear
difference equations instead of linear differential equations
A Fixpoint Semantics of Event Systems with and without Fairness Assumptions
We present a fixpoint semantics of event systems. The semantics is presented
in a general framework without concerns of fairness. Soundness and completeness
of rules for deriving "leads-to" properties are proved in this general
framework. The general framework is instantiated to minimal progress and weak
fairness assumptions and similar results are obtained. We show the power of
these results by deriving sufficient conditions for "leads-to" under minimal
progress proving soundness of proof obligations without reasoning over
state-traces
A complete graphical calculus for Spekkens' toy bit theory
While quantum theory cannot be described by a local hidden variable model, it
is nevertheless possible to construct such models that exhibit features
commonly associated with quantum mechanics. These models are also used to
explore the question of {\psi}-ontic versus {\psi}-epistemic theories for
quantum mechanics. Spekkens' toy theory is one such model. It arises from
classical probabilistic mechanics via a limit on the knowledge an observer may
have about the state of a system. The toy theory for the simplest possible
underlying system closely resembles stabilizer quantum mechanics, a fragment of
quantum theory which is efficiently classically simulable but also non-local.
Further analysis of the similarities and differences between those two theories
can thus yield new insights into what distinguishes quantum theory from
classical theories, and {\psi}-ontic from {\psi}-epistemic theories.
In this paper, we develop a graphical language for Spekkens' toy theory.
Graphical languages offer intuitive and rigorous formalisms for the analysis of
quantum mechanics and similar theories. To compare quantum mechanics and a toy
model, it is useful to have similar formalisms for both. We show that our
language fully describes Spekkens' toy theory and in particular, that it is
complete: meaning any equality that can be derived using other formalisms can
also be derived entirely graphically. Our language is inspired by a similar
graphical language for quantum mechanics called the ZX-calculus. Thus Spekkens'
toy bit theory and stabilizer quantum mechanics can be analysed and compared
using analogous graphical formalisms.Comment: Major revisions for v2. 22+7 page
- …