Guard Your Daggers and Traces: On The Equational Properties of Guarded (Co-)recursion

Motivated by the recent interest in models of guarded (co-)recursion we study its equational properties. We formulate axioms for guarded fixpoint operators generalizing the axioms of iteration theories of Bloom and Esik. Models of these axioms include both standard (e.g., cpo-based) models of iteration theories and models of guarded recursion such as complete metric spaces or the topos of trees studied by Birkedal et al. We show that the standard result on the satisfaction of all Conway axioms by a unique dagger operation generalizes to the guarded setting. We also introduce the notion of guarded trace operator on a category, and we prove that guarded trace and guarded fixpoint operators are in one-to-one correspondence. Our results are intended as first steps leading to the description of classifying theories for guarded recursion and hence completeness results involving our axioms of guarded fixpoint operators in future work.Comment: In Proceedings FICS 2013, arXiv:1308.589

On Free Completely Iterative Algebras

For every finitary set functor F we demonstrate that free algebras carry a canonical partial order. In case F is bicontinuous, we prove that the cpo obtained as the conservative completion of the free algebra is the free completely iterative algebra. Moreover, the algebra structure of the latter is the unique continuous extension of the algebra structure of the free algebra. For general finitary functors the free algebra and the free completely iterative algebra are proved to be posets sharing the same conservative completion. And for every recursive equation in the free completely iterative algebra the solution is obtained as the join of an ?-chain of approximate solutions in the free algebra

On Corecursive Algebras for Functors Preserving Coproducts

For an endofunctor H on a hyper-extensive category preserving countable coproducts we describe the free corecursive algebra on Y as the coproduct of the terminal coalgebra for H and the free H-algebra on Y. As a consequence, we derive that H is a cia functor, i.e., its corecursive algebras are precisely the cias (completely iterative algebras). Also all functors H(-) + Y are then cia functors. For finitary set functors we prove that, conversely, if H is a cia functor, then it has the form H = W times (-) + Y for some sets W and Y

Precongruences and Parametrized Coinduction for Logics for Behavioral Equivalence

We present a new proof system for equality of terms which present elements of the final coalgebra of a finitary set functor. This is most important when the functor is finitary, and we improve on logical systems which have already been proposed in several papers. Our contributions here are (1) a new logical rule which makes for proofs which are somewhat easier to find, and (2) a soundness/completeness theorem which works for all finitary functors, in particular removing a weak pullback preservation requirement that had been used previously. Our work is based on properties of precongruence relations and also on a new parametrized coinduction principle