Normalizing the Taylor expansion of non-deterministic {\lambda}-terms, via parallel reduction of resource vectors

It has been known since Ehrhard and Regnier's seminal work on the Taylor expansion of $\lambda$-terms that this operation commutes with normalization: the expansion of a $\lambda$-term is always normalizable and its normal form is the expansion of the B\"ohm tree of the term. We generalize this result to the non-uniform setting of the algebraic $\lambda$-calculus, i.e. $\lambda$-calculus extended with linear combinations of terms. This requires us to tackle two difficulties: foremost is the fact that Ehrhard and Regnier's techniques rely heavily on the uniform, deterministic nature of the ordinary $\lambda$-calculus, and thus cannot be adapted; second is the absence of any satisfactory generic extension of the notion of B\"ohm tree in presence of quantitative non-determinism, which is reflected by the fact that the Taylor expansion of an algebraic $\lambda$-term is not always normalizable. Our solution is to provide a fine grained study of the dynamics of $\beta$-reduction under Taylor expansion, by introducing a notion of reduction on resource vectors, i.e. infinite linear combinations of resource $\lambda$-terms. The latter form the multilinear fragment of the differential $\lambda$-calculus, and resource vectors are the target of the Taylor expansion of $\lambda$-terms. We show the reduction of resource vectors contains the image of any $\beta$-reduction step, from which we deduce that Taylor expansion and normalization commute on the nose. We moreover identify a class of algebraic $\lambda$-terms, encompassing both normalizable algebraic $\lambda$-terms and arbitrary ordinary $\lambda$-terms: the expansion of these is always normalizable, which guides the definition of a generalization of B\"ohm trees to this setting

On linear combinations of lambda-terms

International audienceWe define an extension of lambda-calculus with linear combinations, endowing the set of terms with a structure of R-module, where R is a fixed set of scalars. Terms are moreover subject to identities similar to usual pointwise definition of linear combinations of functions with values in a vector space. We then extend beta-reduction on those algebraic lambda-terms as follows: at + u reduces to at + u as soon as term t reduces to t and a is a non-zero scalar. We prove that reduction is confluent. Under the assumption that the set R of scalars is positive (i.e. a sum of scalars is zero iff all of them are zero), we show that this algebraic lambda-calculus is a conservative extension of ordinary lambda-calculus. On the other hand, we show that if R admits negative elements, then every term reduces to every other term. We investigate the causes of that collapse, and discuss some possible fixes

The algebraic λ\lambda-calculus is a conservative extension of the ordinary λ\lambda-calculus

The algebraic $\lambda$-calculus is an extension of the ordinary $\lambda$-calculus with linear combinations of terms. We establish that two ordinary $\lambda$-terms are equivalent in the algebraic $\lambda$-calculus iff they are $\beta$-equal. Although this result was originally stated in the early 2000's (in the setting of Ehrhard and Regnier's differential $\lambda$-calculus), the previously proposed proofs were wrong: we explain why previous approaches failed and develop a new proof technique to establish conservativity

Strategies as Resource Terms, and Their Categorical Semantics

As shown by Tsukada and Ong, simply-typed, normal and η-long resource terms correspond to plays in Hyland-Ong games, quotiented by Melliès' homotopy equivalence. Though inspiring, their proof is indirect, relying on the injectivity of the relational model {w.r.t.} both sides of the correspondence - in particular, the dynamics of the resource calculus is taken into account only via the compatibility of the relational model with the composition of normal terms defined by normalization. In the present paper, we revisit and extend these results. Our first contribution is to restate the correspondence by considering causal structures we call augmentations, which are canonical representatives of Hyland-Ong plays up to homotopy. This allows us to give a direct and explicit account of the connection with normal resource terms. As a second contribution, we extend this account to the reduction of resource terms: building on a notion of strategies as weighted sums of augmentations, we provide a denotational model of the resource calculus, invariant under reduction. A key step - and our third contribution - is a categorical model we call a resource category, which is to the resource calculus what differential categories are to the differential λ-calculus

Finitary Simulation of Infinitary β\beta-Reduction via Taylor Expansion, and Applications

Originating in Girard's Linear logic, Ehrhard and Regnier's Taylor expansion of $\lambda$-terms has been broadly used as a tool to approximate the terms of several variants of the $\lambda$-calculus. Many results arise from a Commutation theorem relating the normal form of the Taylor expansion of a term to its B\"ohm tree. This led us to consider extending this formalism to the infinitary $\lambda$-calculus, since the $\Lambda_{\infty}^{001}$ version of this calculus has B\"ohm trees as normal forms and seems to be the ideal framework to reformulate the Commutation theorem. We give a (co-)inductive presentation of $\Lambda_{\infty}^{001}$. We define a Taylor expansion on this calculus, and state that the infinitary $\beta$-reduction can be simulated through this Taylor expansion. The target language is the usual resource calculus, and in particular the resource reduction remains finite, confluent and terminating. Finally, we state the generalised Commutation theorem and use our results to provide simple proofs of some normalisation and confluence properties in the infinitary $\lambda$-calculus

An application of parallel cut elimination in multiplicative linear logic to the Taylor expansion of proof nets

We examine some combinatorial properties of parallel cut elimination in multiplicative linear logic (MLL) proof nets. We show that, provided we impose a constraint on some paths, we can bound the size of all the nets satisfying this constraint and reducing to a fixed resultant net. This result gives a sufficient condition for an infinite weighted sum of nets to reduce into another sum of nets, while keeping coefficients finite. We moreover show that our constraints are stable under reduction. Our approach is motivated by the quantitative semantics of linear logic: many models have been proposed, whose structure reflect the Taylor expansion of multiplicative exponential linear logic (MELL) proof nets into infinite sums of differential nets. In order to simulate one cut elimination step in MELL, it is necessary to reduce an arbitrary number of cuts in the differential nets of its Taylor expansion. It turns out our results apply to differential nets, because their cut elimination is essentially multiplicative. We moreover show that the set of differential nets that occur in the Taylor expansion of an MELL net automatically satisfies our constraints. Interestingly, our nets are untyped: we only rely on the sequentiality of linear logic nets and the dynamics of cut elimination. The paths on which we impose bounds are the switching paths involved in the Danos--Regnier criterion for sequentiality. In order to accommodate multiplicative units and weakenings, our nets come equipped with jumps: each weakening node is connected to some other node. Our constraint can then be summed up as a bound on both the length of switching paths, and the number of weakenings that jump to a common node

Completeness of algebraic CPS simulations

The algebraic lambda calculus and the linear algebraic lambda calculus are two extensions of the classical lambda calculus with linear combinations of terms. They arise independently in distinct contexts: the former is a fragment of the differential lambda calculus, the latter is a candidate lambda calculus for quantum computation. They differ in the handling of application arguments and algebraic rules. The two languages can simulate each other using an algebraic extension of the well-known call-by-value and call-by-name CPS translations. These simulations are sound, in that they preserve reductions. In this paper, we prove that the simulations are actually complete, strengthening the connection between the two languages.Comment: In Proceedings DCM 2011, arXiv:1207.682

Confluence via strong normalisation in an algebraic \lambda-calculus with rewriting

The linear-algebraic lambda-calculus and the algebraic lambda-calculus are untyped lambda-calculi extended with arbitrary linear combinations of terms. The former presents the axioms of linear algebra in the form of a rewrite system, while the latter uses equalities. When given by rewrites, algebraic lambda-calculi are not confluent unless further restrictions are added. We provide a type system for the linear-algebraic lambda-calculus enforcing strong normalisation, which gives back confluence. The type system allows an abstract interpretation in System F.Comment: In Proceedings LSFA 2011, arXiv:1203.542

Semantics of a Typed Algebraic Lambda-Calculus

Algebraic lambda-calculi have been studied in various ways, but their semantics remain mostly untouched. In this paper we propose a semantic analysis of a general simply-typed lambda-calculus endowed with a structure of vector space. We sketch the relation with two established vectorial lambda-calculi. Then we study the problems arising from the addition of a fixed point combinator and how to modify the equational theory to solve them. We sketch an algebraic vectorial PCF and its possible denotational interpretations

A System F accounting for scalars

The Algebraic lambda-calculus and the Linear-Algebraic lambda-calculus extend the lambda-calculus with the possibility of making arbitrary linear combinations of terms. In this paper we provide a fine-grained, System F-like type system for the linear-algebraic lambda-calculus. We show that this "scalar" type system enjoys both the subject-reduction property and the strong-normalisation property, our main technical results. The latter yields a significant simplification of the linear-algebraic lambda-calculus itself, by removing the need for some restrictions in its reduction rules. But the more important, original feature of this scalar type system is that it keeps track of 'the amount of a type' that is present in each term. As an example of its use, we shown that it can serve as a guarantee that the normal form of a term is barycentric, i.e that its scalars are summing to one