We define and develop two-level type theory (2LTT), a version of Martin-L\"of
type theory which combines two different type theories. We refer to them as the
inner and the outer type theory. In our case of interest, the inner theory is
homotopy type theory (HoTT) which may include univalent universes and higher
inductive types. The outer theory is a traditional form of type theory
validating uniqueness of identity proofs (UIP). One point of view on it is as
internalised meta-theory of the inner type theory.
There are two motivations for 2LTT. Firstly, there are certain results about
HoTT which are of meta-theoretic nature, such as the statement that
semisimplicial types up to level n can be constructed in HoTT for any
externally fixed natural number n. Such results cannot be expressed in HoTT
itself, but they can be formalised and proved in 2LTT, where n will be a
variable in the outer theory. This point of view is inspired by observations
about conservativity of presheaf models.
Secondly, 2LTT is a framework which is suitable for formulating additional
axioms that one might want to add to HoTT. This idea is heavily inspired by
Voevodsky's Homotopy Type System (HTS), which constitutes one specific instance
of a 2LTT. HTS has an axiom ensuring that the type of natural numbers behaves
like the external natural numbers, which allows the construction of a universe
of semisimplicial types. In 2LTT, this axiom can be stated simply be asking the
inner and outer natural numbers to be isomorphic.
After defining 2LTT, we set up a collection of tools with the goal of making
2LTT a convenient language for future developments. As a first such
application, we develop the theory of Reedy fibrant diagrams in the style of
Shulman. Continuing this line of thought, we suggest a definition of
(infinity,1)-category and give some examples.Comment: 53 page