Changing a semantics: opportunism or courage?

The generalized models for higher-order logics introduced by Leon Henkin, and their multiple offspring over the years, have become a standard tool in many areas of logic. Even so, discussion has persisted about their technical status, and perhaps even their conceptual legitimacy. This paper gives a systematic view of generalized model techniques, discusses what they mean in mathematical and philosophical terms, and presents a few technical themes and results about their role in algebraic representation, calibrating provability, lowering complexity, understanding fixed-point logics, and achieving set-theoretic absoluteness. We also show how thinking about Henkin's approach to semantics of logical systems in this generality can yield new results, dispelling the impression of adhocness. This paper is dedicated to Leon Henkin, a deep logician who has changed the way we all work, while also being an always open, modest, and encouraging colleague and friend.Comment: 27 pages. To appear in: The life and work of Leon Henkin: Essays on his contributions (Studies in Universal Logic) eds: Manzano, M., Sain, I. and Alonso, E., 201

Uniform test of algorithmic randomness over a general space

The algorithmic theory of randomness is well developed when the underlying space is the set of finite or infinite sequences and the underlying probability distribution is the uniform distribution or a computable distribution. These restrictions seem artificial. Some progress has been made to extend the theory to arbitrary Bernoulli distributions (by Martin-Loef), and to arbitrary distributions (by Levin). We recall the main ideas and problems of Levin's theory, and report further progress in the same framework. - We allow non-compact spaces (like the space of continuous functions, underlying the Brownian motion). - The uniform test (deficiency of randomness) d_P(x) (depending both on the outcome x and the measure P should be defined in a general and natural way. - We see which of the old results survive: existence of universal tests, conservation of randomness, expression of tests in terms of description complexity, existence of a universal measure, expression of mutual information as "deficiency of independence. - The negative of the new randomness test is shown to be a generalization of complexity in continuous spaces; we show that the addition theorem survives. The paper's main contribution is introducing an appropriate framework for studying these questions and related ones (like statistics for a general family of distributions).Comment: 40 pages. Journal reference and a slight correction in the proof of Theorem 7 adde

The Dimensions of Individual Strings and Sequences

A constructive version of Hausdorff dimension is developed using constructive supergales, which are betting strategies that generalize the constructive supermartingales used in the theory of individual random sequences. This constructive dimension is used to assign every individual (infinite, binary) sequence S a dimension, which is a real number dim(S) in the interval [0,1]. Sequences that are random (in the sense of Martin-Lof) have dimension 1, while sequences that are decidable, \Sigma^0_1, or \Pi^0_1 have dimension 0. It is shown that for every \Delta^0_2-computable real number \alpha in [0,1] there is a \Delta^0_2 sequence S such that \dim(S) = \alpha. A discrete version of constructive dimension is also developed using termgales, which are supergale-like functions that bet on the terminations of (finite, binary) strings as well as on their successive bits. This discrete dimension is used to assign each individual string w a dimension, which is a nonnegative real number dim(w). The dimension of a sequence is shown to be the limit infimum of the dimensions of its prefixes. The Kolmogorov complexity of a string is proven to be the product of its length and its dimension. This gives a new characterization of algorithmic information and a new proof of Mayordomo's recent theorem stating that the dimension of a sequence is the limit infimum of the average Kolmogorov complexity of its first n bits. Every sequence that is random relative to any computable sequence of coin-toss biases that converge to a real number \beta in (0,1) is shown to have dimension \H(\beta), the binary entropy of \beta.Comment: 31 page

Mécanismes Orientés-Objets pour l'Interopérabilité entre Systèmes de Preuve

Dedukti is a Logical Framework resulting from the combination ofdependent typing and rewriting. It can be used to encode many logicalsystems using shallow embeddings preserving their notion of reduction.These translations of logical systems in a common format are anecessary first step for exchanging proofs between systems. Thisobjective of interoperability of proof systems is the main motivationof this thesis.To achieve it, we take inspiration from the world of programminglanguages and more specifically from object-oriented languages becausethey feature advanced mechanisms for encapsulation, modularity, anddefault definitions. For this reason we start by a shallowtranslation of an object calculus to Dedukti. The most interestingpoint in this translation is the treatment of subtyping.Unfortunately, it seems very hard to incorporate logic in this objectcalculus. To proceed, object-oriented mechanisms should be restrictedto static ones which seem enough for interoperability. Such acombination of static object-oriented mechanisms and logic is alreadypresent in the FoCaLiZe environment so we propose a shallow embeddingof FoCaLiZe in Dedukti. The main difficulties arise from theintegration of FoCaLiZe automatic theorem prover Zenon and from thetranslation of FoCaLiZe functional implementation language featuringtwo constructs which have no simple counterparts in Dedukti: localpattern matching and recursion.We then demonstrate how this embedding of FoCaLiZe to Dedukti can beused in practice for achieving interoperability of proof systemsthrough FoCaLiZe, Zenon, and Dedukti. In order to avoid strengtheningto much the theory in which the final proof is expressed, we useDedukti as a meta-language for eliminating unnecessary axioms.Dedukti est un cadre logique résultant de la combinaison du typagedépendant et de la réécriture. Il permet d'encoder de nombreuxsystèmes logiques au moyen de plongements superficiels qui préserventla notion de réduction.Ces traductions de systèmes logiques dans un format commun sont unepremière étape nécessaire à l'échange de preuves entre cessystèmes. Cet objectif d'interopérabilité des systèmes de preuve estla motivation principale de cette thèse.Pour y parvenir, nous nous inspirons du monde des langages deprogrammation et plus particulièrement des langages orientés-objetparce qu'ils mettent en œuvre des mécanismes avancés d'encapsulation,de modularité et de définitions par défaut. Pour cette raison, nouscommençons par une traduction superficielle d'un calcul orienté-objeten Dedukti. L'aspect le plus intéressant de cette traduction est letraitement du sous-typage.Malheureusement, ce calcul orienté-objet ne semble pas adapté àl'incorporation de traits logiques. Afin de continuer, nous devonsrestreindre les mécanismes orientés-objet à des mécanismes statiques,plus faciles à combiner avec la logique et apparemment suffisant pournotre objectif d'interopérabilité. Une telle combinaison de mécanismesorientés-objet et de logique est présente dans l'environnementFoCaLiZe donc nous proposons un encodage superficiel de FoCaLiZe dansDedukti. Les difficultés principales proviennent de l'intégration deZenon, le prouveur automatique de théorèmes sur lequel FoCaLiZerepose, et de la traduction du langage d'implantation fonctionnel deFoCaLiZe qui présente deux constructions qui n'ont pas decorrespondance simple en Dedukti : le filtrage de motif local et larécursivité.Nous démontrons finalement comment notre encodage de FoCaLiZe dansDedukti peut servir en pratique à l'interopérabilité entre dessystèmes de preuve à l'aide de FoCaLiZe, Zenon et Dedukti. Pour éviterde trop renforcer la théorie dans laquelle la preuve finale estobtenue, nous proposons d'utiliser Dedukti en tant que méta-langagepour éliminer des axiomes superflus

Model and Proof Theory of Constructive ALC, Constructive Description Logics

Description logics (DLs) represent a widely studied logical formalism with a significant impact in the field of knowledge representation and the Semantic Web. However, they are equipped with a classical descriptive semantics that is characterised by a platonic notion of truth, being insufficiently expressive to deal with evolving and incomplete information, as from data streams or ongoing processes. Such partially determined and incomplete knowledge can be expressed by relying on a constructive semantics. This thesis investigates the model and proof theory of a constructive variant of the basic description logic ALC, called cALC. The semantic dimension of constructive DLs is investigated by replacing the classical binary truth interpretation of ALC with a constructive notion of truth. This semantic characterisation is crucial to represent applications with partial information adequately, and to achieve both consistency under abstraction as well as robustness under refinement, and on the other hand is compatible with the Curry-Howard isomorphism in order to form the cornerstone for a DL-based type theory. The proof theory of cALC is investigated by giving a sound and complete Hilbert-style axiomatisation, a Gentzen-style sequent calculus and a labelled tableau calculus showing finite model property and decidability. Moreover, cALC can be strengthened towards normal intuitionistic modal logics and classical ALC in terms of sound and complete extensions and hereby forms a starting point for the systematic investigation of a constructive correspondence theory.Beschreibungslogiken (BLen) stellen einen vieluntersuchten logischen Formalismus dar, der den Bereich der Wissensrepräsentation und das Semantic Web signifikant geprägt hat. Allerdings basieren BLen meist auf einer klassischen deskriptiven Semantik, die gekennzeichnet ist durch einen idealisierten Wahrheitsbegriff nach Platons Ideenlehre, weshalb diese unzureichend ausdrucksstark sind, um in Entwicklung befindliches und unvollständiges Wissen zu repräsentieren, wie es beispielsweise durch Datenströme oder fortlaufende Prozesse generiert wird. Derartiges partiell festgelegtes und unvollständiges Wissen lässt sich auf der Basis einer konstruktiven Semantik ausdrücken. Diese Arbeit untersucht die Model- und Beweistheorie einer konstruktiven Variante der Basis-BL ALC, die im Folgenden als cALC bezeichnet wird. Die Semantik dieser konstruktiven Beschreibungslogik resultiert daraus, die traditionelle zweiwertige Interpretation logischer Aussagen des Systems ALC durch einen konstruktiven Wahrheitsbegriff zu ersetzen. Eine derartige Interpretation ist die Voraussetzung dafür, um einerseits Anwendungen mit partiellem Wissen angemessen zu repräsentieren, und sowohl die Konsistenz logischer Aussagen unter Abstraktion als auch ihre Robustheit unter Verfeinerung zu gewährleisten, und andererseits um den Grundstein für eine Beschreibungslogik-basierte Typentheorie gemäß dem Curry-Howard Isomorphismus zu legen. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung der Beweistheorie von cALC umfassen eine vollständige und korrekte Hilbert Axiomatisierung, einen Gentzen Sequenzenkalkül, und ein semantisches Tableaukalkül, sowie Beweise zur endlichen Modelleigenschaft und Entscheidbarkeit. Darüber hinaus kann cALC zu normaler intuitionistischer Modallogik und klassischem ALC durch vollständige und korrekte Erweiterungen ausgebaut werden, und bildet damit einen Startpunkt für die systematische Untersuchung einer konstruktiven Korrespondenztheorie