30 research outputs found
Univalent Foundations and the UniMath Library
We give a concise presentation of the Univalent Foundations of mathematics outlining the main ideas, followed by a discussion of the UniMath library of formalized mathematics implementing the ideas of the Univalent Foundations (section 1), and the challenges one faces in attempting to design a large-scale library of formalized mathematics (section 2). This leads us to a general discussion about the links between architecture and mathematics where a meeting of minds is revealed between architects and mathematicians (section 3). On the way our odyssey from the foundations to the "horizon" of mathematics will lead us to meet the mathematicians David Hilbert and Nicolas Bourbaki as well as the architect Christopher Alexander
From parametricity to conservation laws, via Noether's Theorem
Invariance is of paramount importance in programming languages and in physics. In programming languages, John Reynolds' theory of relational parametricity demonstrates that parametric polymorphic programs are invariant under change of data representation, a property that yields "free" theorems about programs just from their types. In physics, Emmy Noether showed that if the action of a physical system is invariant under change of coordinates, then the physical system has a conserved quantity: a quantity that remains constant for all time. Knowledge of conserved quantities can reveal deep properties of physical systems. For example, the conservation of energy is by Noether's theorem a consequence of a system's invariance under time-shifting. In this paper, we link Reynolds' relational parametricity with Noether's theorem for deriving conserved quantities. We propose an extension of System Fω with new kinds, types and term constants for writing programs that describe classical mechanical systems in terms of their Lagrangians. We show, by constructing a relationally parametric model of our extension of Fω, that relational parametricity is enough to satisfy the hypotheses of Noether's theorem, and so to derive conserved quantities for free, directly from the polymorphic types of Lagrangians expressed in our system
Polynomial functors and combinatorial Dyson-Schwinger equations
We present a general abstract framework for combinatorial Dyson-Schwinger
equations, in which combinatorial identities are lifted to explicit bijections
of sets, and more generally equivalences of groupoids. Key features of
combinatorial Dyson-Schwinger equations are revealed to follow from general
categorical constructions and universal properties. Rather than beginning with
an equation inside a given Hopf algebra and referring to given Hochschild
-cocycles, our starting point is an abstract fixpoint equation in groupoids,
shown canonically to generate all the algebraic structure. Precisely, for any
finitary polynomial endofunctor defined over groupoids, the system of
combinatorial Dyson-Schwinger equations has a universal solution,
namely the groupoid of -trees. The isoclasses of -trees generate
naturally a Connes-Kreimer-like bialgebra, in which the abstract
Dyson-Schwinger equation can be internalised in terms of canonical
-operators. The solution to this equation is a series (the Green function)
which always enjoys a Fa\`a di Bruno formula, and hence generates a
sub-bialgebra isomorphic to the Fa\`a di Bruno bialgebra. Varying yields
different bialgebras, and cartesian natural transformations between various
yield bialgebra homomorphisms and sub-bialgebras, corresponding for example to
truncation of Dyson-Schwinger equations. Finally, all constructions can be
pushed inside the classical Connes-Kreimer Hopf algebra of trees by the
operation of taking core of -trees. A byproduct of the theory is an
interpretation of combinatorial Green functions as inductive data types in the
sense of Martin-L\"of Type Theory (expounded elsewhere).Comment: v4: minor adjustments, 49pp, final version to appear in J. Math. Phy
A new foundational crisis in mathematics, is it really happening?
The article reconsiders the position of the foundations of mathematics after
the discovery of HoTT. Discussion that this discovery has generated in the
community of mathematicians, philosophers and computer scientists might
indicate a new crisis in the foundation of mathematics. By examining the
mathematical facts behind HoTT and their relation with the existing
foundations, we conclude that the present crisis is not one. We reiterate a
pluralist vision of the foundations of mathematics. The article contains a
short survey of the mathematical and historical background needed to understand
the main tenets of the foundational issues.Comment: Final versio
Formalizing of Category Theory in Agda
The generality and pervasiness of category theory in modern mathematics makes
it a frequent and useful target of formalization. It is however quite
challenging to formalize, for a variety of reasons. Agda currently (i.e. in
2020) does not have a standard, working formalization of category theory. We
document our work on solving this dilemma. The formalization revealed a number
of potential design choices, and we present, motivate and explain the ones we
picked. In particular, we find that alternative definitions or alternative
proofs from those found in standard textbooks can be advantageous, as well as
"fit" Agda's type theory more smoothly. Some definitions regarded as equivalent
in standard textbooks turn out to make different "universe level" assumptions,
with some being more polymorphic than others. We also pay close attention to
engineering issues so that the library integrates well with Agda's own standard
library, as well as being compatible with as many of supported type theories in
Agda as possible
Higher Structures in M-Theory
The key open problem of string theory remains its non-perturbative completion
to M-theory. A decisive hint to its inner workings comes from numerous
appearances of higher structures in the limits of M-theory that are already
understood, such as higher degree flux fields and their dualities, or the
higher algebraic structures governing closed string field theory. These are all
controlled by the higher homotopy theory of derived categories, generalised
cohomology theories, and -algebras. This is the introductory chapter
to the proceedings of the LMS/EPSRC Durham Symposium on Higher Structures in
M-Theory. We first review higher structures as well as their motivation in
string theory and beyond. Then we list the contributions in this volume,
putting them into context.Comment: 22 pages, Introductory Article to Proceedings of LMS/EPSRC Durham
Symposium Higher Structures in M-Theory, August 2018, references update
Set Theory and Structures
Set-theoretic and category-theoretic foundations represent different perspectives on mathematical subject matter. In particular, category-theoretic language focusses on properties that can be determined up to isomorphism within a category, whereas set theory admits of properties determined by the internal structure of the membership relation. Various objections have been raised against this aspect of set theory in the category-theoretic literature. In this article, we advocate a methodological pluralism concerning the two foundational languages, and provide a theory that fruitfully interrelates a `structural' perspective to a set-theoretic one. We present a set-theoretic system that is able to talk about structures more naturally, and argue that it provides an important perspective on plausibly structural properties such as cardinality. We conclude the language of set theory can provide useful information about the notion of mathematical structure