Refinement Calculus of Reactive Systems

Refinement calculus is a powerful and expressive tool for reasoning about sequential programs in a compositional manner. In this paper we present an extension of refinement calculus for reactive systems. Refinement calculus is based on monotonic predicate transformers, which transform sets of post-states into sets of pre-states. To model reactive systems, we introduce monotonic property transformers, which transform sets of output traces into sets of input traces. We show how to model in this semantics refinement, sequential composition, demonic choice, and other semantic operations on reactive systems. We use primarily higher order logic to express our results, but we also show how property transformers can be defined using other formalisms more amenable to automation, such as linear temporal logic (suitable for specifications) and symbolic transition systems (suitable for implementations). Finally, we show how this framework generalizes previous work on relational interfaces so as to be able to express systems with infinite behaviors and liveness properties

Theorem Provers as Libraries -- An Approach to Formally Verifying Functional Programs

Property-directed verification of functional programs tends to take one of two paths. First, is the traditional testing approach, where properties are expressed in the original programming language and checked with a collection of test data. Alternatively, for those desiring a more rigorous approach, properties can be written and checked with a formal tool; typically, an external proof system. This dissertation details a hybrid approach that captures the best of both worlds: the formality of a proof system paired with the native integration of an embedded, domain specific language (EDSL) for testing. At the heart of this hybridization is the titular concept -- a theorem prover as a library. The verification capabilities of this prover, HaskHOL, are introduced to a Haskell development environment as a GHC compiler plugin. Operating at the compiler level provides for a comparatively simpler integration and allows verification to co-exist with the numerous other passes that stand between source code and program

Smart matching

One of the most annoying aspects in the formalization of mathematics is the need of transforming notions to match a given, existing result. This kind of transformations, often based on a conspicuous background knowledge in the given scientific domain (mostly expressed in the form of equalities or isomorphisms), are usually implicit in the mathematical discourse, and it would be highly desirable to obtain a similar behavior in interactive provers. The paper describes the superposition-based implementation of this feature inside the Matita interactive theorem prover, focusing in particular on the so called smart application tactic, supporting smart matching between a goal and a given result.Comment: To appear in The 9th International Conference on Mathematical Knowledge Management: MKM 201

Logical Reasoning for Higher-Order Functions with Local State

We introduce an extension of Hoare logic for call-by-value higher-order functions with ML-like local reference generation. Local references may be generated dynamically and exported outside their scope, may store higher-order functions and may be used to construct complex mutable data structures. This primitive is captured logically using a predicate asserting reachability of a reference name from a possibly higher-order datum and quantifiers over hidden references. We explore the logic's descriptive and reasoning power with non-trivial programming examples combining higher-order procedures and dynamically generated local state. Axioms for reachability and local invariant play a central role for reasoning about the examples.Comment: 68 page

A semantical approach to equilibria and rationality

Game theoretic equilibria are mathematical expressions of rationality. Rational agents are used to model not only humans and their software representatives, but also organisms, populations, species and genes, interacting with each other and with the environment. Rational behaviors are achieved not only through conscious reasoning, but also through spontaneous stabilization at equilibrium points. Formal theories of rationality are usually guided by informal intuitions, which are acquired by observing some concrete economic, biological, or network processes. Treating such processes as instances of computation, we reconstruct and refine some basic notions of equilibrium and rationality from the some basic structures of computation. It is, of course, well known that equilibria arise as fixed points; the point is that semantics of computation of fixed points seems to be providing novel methods, algebraic and coalgebraic, for reasoning about them.Comment: 18 pages; Proceedings of CALCO 200

Comprehending Isabelle/HOL's consistency

The proof assistant Isabelle/HOL is based on an extension of Higher-Order Logic (HOL) with ad hoc overloading of constants. It turns out that the interaction between the standard HOL type definitions and the Isabelle-specific ad hoc overloading is problematic for the logical consistency. In previous work, we have argued that standard HOL semantics is no longer appropriate for capturing this interaction, and have proved consistency using a nonstandard semantics. The use of an exotic semantics makes that proof hard to digest by the community. In this paper, we prove consistency by proof-theoretic means—following the healthy intuition of definitions as abbreviations, realized in HOLC, a logic that augments HOL with comprehension types. We hope that our new proof settles the Isabelle/HOL consistency problem once and for all. In addition, HOLC offers a framework for justifying the consistency of new deduction schemas that address practical user needs