303 research outputs found
Relational Parametricity and Control
We study the equational theory of Parigot's second-order
λμ-calculus in connection with a call-by-name continuation-passing
style (CPS) translation into a fragment of the second-order λ-calculus.
It is observed that the relational parametricity on the target calculus induces
a natural notion of equivalence on the λμ-terms. On the other hand,
the unconstrained relational parametricity on the λμ-calculus turns
out to be inconsistent with this CPS semantics. Following these facts, we
propose to formulate the relational parametricity on the λμ-calculus
in a constrained way, which might be called ``focal parametricity''.Comment: 22 pages, for Logical Methods in Computer Scienc
Tarski's influence on computer science
The influence of Alfred Tarski on computer science was indirect but
significant in a number of directions and was in certain respects fundamental.
Here surveyed is the work of Tarski on the decision procedure for algebra and
geometry, the method of elimination of quantifiers, the semantics of formal
languages, modeltheoretic preservation theorems, and algebraic logic; various
connections of each with computer science are taken up
Recursion does not always help
We show that adding recursion does not increase the total functions definable
in the typed -calculus or the partial functions definable in
the -calculus. As a consequence, adding recursion does not
increase the class of partial or total definable functions on free algebras and
so, in particular, on the natural numbers.Comment: Improved presentation a littl
Generic refinements for behavioral specifications
This thesis investigates the properties of generic refinements of behavioral specifications.
At the base of this investigation stands the view from algebraic specification that
abstract data types can be modeled as algebras. A specification of a data type is formed
from a syntactic part, i.e. a signature detailing the interface of the data type, and a
semantic part, i.e. a class of algebras (called its models) that contains the valid implementations
of that data type.
Typically, the class of algebras that constitutes the semantics of a specification is
defined as the class of algebras that satisfy some given set of axioms. The behavioral
aspect of a specification comes from relaxing the requirements imposed by axioms, i.e.
by allowing in the semantics of a specification not only the algebras that literally satisfy
the given axioms, but also those algebras that appear to behave according to those
axioms. Several frameworks have been developed to express the adequate notions of
what it means to be a behavioral model of a set of axioms, and our choice as the setting
for this thesis will be Bidoit and Hennicker’s Constructor-based Observational Logic,
abbreviated COL.
Using specifications that rely on the behavioral aspects defined by COL we study
the properties of generic refinements between specifications. Refinement is a relation
between specifications. The refinement of a target specification by a source specification
is given by a function that constructs models of the target specification from
the models of the source specification. These functions are called constructions and
the source and target specifications that they relate are called the context of the refinement.
The theory of refinements between algebraic specifications, with or without the
behavioral aspect, has been well studied in the literature. Our analysis starts from those
studies and adapts them to COL, which is a relatively new framework, and for which
refinement has been studied only briefly.
The main part of this thesis is formed by the analysis of generic refinements.
Generic refinements are represented by constructions that can be used in various contexts,
not just in the context of their definition. These constructions provide the basis
for modular refinements, i.e. one can use a locally defined construction in a global context
in order to refine just a part of a source specification. The ability to use a refinement
outside its original context imposes additional requirements on the construction
that represents it. An implementer writing such a construction must not use details of
the source models that can be contradicted by potential global context requirements.
This means, roughly speaking, that he must use only the information available in the
source signature and also any a priori assumption that was made about the contexts of
use.
We look at the basic case of generic refinements that are reusable in every global
context, and then we treat a couple of variations, i.e. generic refinements for which
an a priori assumption it is made about the nature of their usage contexts. In each
of these cases we follow the same pattern of investigation. First we characterize the
constructions that ensure reusability by means of preservation of relations, and then, in
most cases, we show that such constructions must be definable in terms of their source
signature.
Throughout the thesis we use an informal analogy between generic (i.e. polymorphic)
functions that appear in second order lambda calculus and the generic refinements
that we are studying. This connection will enable us to describe some properties
of generic refinements that correspond to the properties of polymorphic functions inferred
from their types and named “theorems for free” by Wadler.
The definability results, the connection between the assumptions made about the
usage contexts and the characterizing relations, and the “theorems for free” for behavioral
specifications constitute the main contributions of this thesis
Equational definability of (complementary) central elements
For a variety with weak existentially definable factor congruences, we characterize whenthe properties "e is a central element" and "e and f are complementary central elements"are definable by (∀ V p = q)-formulas and by (V p = q)-formulas.Fil: Badano, Mariana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Vaggione, Diego Jose. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentin
Decreasing Diagrams for Confluence and Commutation
Like termination, confluence is a central property of rewrite systems. Unlike
for termination, however, there exists no known complexity hierarchy for
confluence. In this paper we investigate whether the decreasing diagrams
technique can be used to obtain such a hierarchy. The decreasing diagrams
technique is one of the strongest and most versatile methods for proving
confluence of abstract rewrite systems. It is complete for countable systems,
and it has many well-known confluence criteria as corollaries.
So what makes decreasing diagrams so powerful? In contrast to other
confluence techniques, decreasing diagrams employ a labelling of the steps with
labels from a well-founded order in order to conclude confluence of the
underlying unlabelled relation. Hence it is natural to ask how the size of the
label set influences the strength of the technique. In particular, what class
of abstract rewrite systems can be proven confluent using decreasing diagrams
restricted to 1 label, 2 labels, 3 labels, and so on? Surprisingly, we find
that two labels suffice for proving confluence for every abstract rewrite
system having the cofinality property, thus in particular for every confluent,
countable system.
Secondly, we show that this result stands in sharp contrast to the situation
for commutation of rewrite relations, where the hierarchy does not collapse.
Thirdly, investigating the possibility of a confluence hierarchy, we
determine the first-order (non-)definability of the notion of confluence and
related properties, using techniques from finite model theory. We find that in
particular Hanf's theorem is fruitful for elegant proofs of undefinability of
properties of abstract rewrite systems
Logical Relations for Monadic Types
Logical relations and their generalizations are a fundamental tool in proving
properties of lambda-calculi, e.g., yielding sound principles for observational
equivalence. We propose a natural notion of logical relations able to deal with
the monadic types of Moggi's computational lambda-calculus. The treatment is
categorical, and is based on notions of subsconing, mono factorization systems,
and monad morphisms. Our approach has a number of interesting applications,
including cases for lambda-calculi with non-determinism (where being in logical
relation means being bisimilar), dynamic name creation, and probabilistic
systems.Comment: 83 page
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