arXiv subjects

Andrej Bauer

Publications and source records attributed to Andrej Bauer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Sheaves as oracle computations

In type theory, an oracle may be specified abstractly by a predicate whose domain is the type of queries asked of the oracle, and whose proofs are the oracle answers. Such a specification induces an oracle modality that captures a computational intuition about oracles: at each step of reasoning we either know the result, or we ask the oracle a query and proceed upon receiving an answer. We characterize an oracle modality as the least one forcing the given predicate. We establish an adjoint retraction between modalities and propositional containers, from which it follows that every modality is an oracle modality. The left adjoint maps sums to suprema, which makes suprema of modalities easy to compute when they are given in terms of oracle modalities. We also study sheaves for oracle modalities. We describe sheafification in terms of a quotient-inductive type of computation trees, and describe sheaves as algebras for the corresponding monad. We also introduce equifoliate trees, an intensional notion of oracle computation given by a (non-propositional) container. Equifoliate trees descend to sheaves, and modally cover them. As an application, we give a concrete description of all Lawvere-Tierney topologies in a realizability topos, closely related to a game-theoretic characterization by Takayuki Kihara.

math.LO↗

arXiv2024

Comodule Representations of Second-Order Functionals

We develop and investigate a general theory of representations of second-order functionals, based on a notion of a right comodule for a monad on the category of containers. We show how the notion of comodule representability naturally subsumes classic representations of continuous functionals with well-founded trees. We find other kinds of representations by varying the monad, the comodule, and in some cases the underlying category of containers. Examples include uniformly continuous or finitely supported functionals, functionals querying their arguments precisely once, or at most once, functionals interacting with an ambient environment through computational effects, as well as functionals trivially representing themselves. Many of these rely on our construction of a monad on containers from a monad on shapes and a weak Mendler-style monad algebra on the universe for positions. We show that comodule representability on the category of propositional containers, which have positions valued in a universe of propositions, is closely related to instance reducibility in constructive mathematics, and through it to Weihrauch reducibility in computability theory.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2024

An Imperative Language for Verified Exact Real-Number Computation

We introduce Clerical, a programming language for exact real-number computation that combines first-order imperative-style programming with a limit operator for computation of real numbers as limits of Cauchy sequences. We address the semidecidability of the linear ordering of the reals by incorporating nondeterministic guarded choice, through which decisions based on partial comparison operations on reals can be patched together to give total programs. The interplay between mutable state, nondeterminism, and computation of limits is controlled by the requirement that expressions computing limits and guards modify only local state. We devise a domain-theoretic denotational semantics that uses a variant of Plotkin powerdomain construction tailored to our specific version of nondeterminism. We formulate a Hoare-style specification logic, show that it is sound for the denotational semantics, and illustrate the setup by implementing and proving correct a program for computation of $\pi$ as the least positive zero of $\sin$. The modular character of Clerical allows us to compose the program from smaller parts, each of which is shown to be correct on its own. We provide a proof-of-concept OCaml implementation of Clerical, and formally verify parts of the development, notably the soundness of specification logic, in the Coq proof assistant.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2024

The Countable Reals

We construct a topos in which the Dedekind reals are countable. The topos arises from a new kind of realizability, which we call parameterized realizability, based on partial combinatory algebras whose application depends on a parameter. Realizers operate uniformly with respect to a given parameter set. Our construction uses a sequence of reals in $[0,1]$, discovered by Joseph Miller, that is non-diagonalizable in the sense that any real which is oracle-computable uniformly from representations of the sequence must already appear in it. When used as the parameter set, this yields a topos in which the non-diagonalizable sequence becomes an epimorphism onto the Dedekind reals, rendering them internally countable. The resulting topos is intuitionistic: it refutes both the law of excluded middle and countable choice. Nevertheless, much of analysis survives internally. The Cauchy reals are uncountable. The Hilbert cube is countable, so Brouwer's fixed-point theorem follows from Lawvere's. The intermediate value theorem and the analytic form of the lesser limited principle of omniscience hold, while the limited principle of omniscience fails. Although no real-valued map has a jump, it remains open whether all such maps are continuous. Finally, the closed interval $[0,1]$, being countable, can be covered by a sequence of open intervals of total length less than any $\epsilon > 0$, with no finite subcover. Yet, we show that any cover using intervals with rational endpoints must admit a finite subcover.

math.LO↗

arXiv2023

MLFMF: Data Sets for Machine Learning for Mathematical Formalization

We introduce MLFMF, a collection of data sets for benchmarking recommendation systems used to support formalization of mathematics with proof assistants. These systems help humans identify which previous entries (theorems, constructions, datatypes, and postulates) are relevant in proving a new theorem or carrying out a new construction. Each data set is derived from a library of formalized mathematics written in proof assistants Agda or Lean. The collection includes the largest Lean~4 library Mathlib, and some of the largest Agda libraries: the standard library, the library of univalent mathematics Agda-unimath, and the TypeTopology library. Each data set represents the corresponding library in two ways: as a heterogeneous network, and as a list of s-expressions representing the syntax trees of all the entries in the library. The network contains the (modular) structure of the library and the references between entries, while the s-expressions give complete and easily parsed information about every entry. We report baseline results using standard graph and word embeddings, tree ensembles, and instance-based learning algorithms. The MLFMF data sets provide solid benchmarking support for further investigation of the numerous machine learning approaches to formalized mathematics. The methodology used to extract the networks and the s-expressions readily applies to other libraries, and is applicable to other proof assistants. With more than $250\,000$ entries in total, this is currently the largest collection of formalized mathematical knowledge in machine learnable format.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2023

Spreen spaces and the synthetic Kreisel-Lacombe-Shoenfield-Tseitin theorem

I take a constructive look at Dieter Spreen's treatment of effective topological spaces and the Kreisel-Lacombe-Shoenfield-Tseitin (KLST) continuity theorem. Transferring Spreen's ideas from classical computability theory and numbered sets to a constructive setting leads to a theory of topological spaces, in fact two of them: a locale-theoretic one embodied by the notion of $\sigma$-frames, and a pointwise one that follows more closely traditional topology. Spreen's notion of effective limit passing turns out to be closely related to sobriety, while his witnesses for non-inclusion give rise to a novel separation property - any point separated from an overt subset by a semidecidable subset is already separated from it by an open one. I name spaces with this property Spreen spaces, and show that they give rise to a purely constructive continuity theorem: every map from an overt Spreen space to a pointwise regular space is pointwise continuous. The theorem is easily proved, but finding non-trivial examples of Spreen spaces is harder. I show that they are plentiful in synthetic computability theory.

math.LO↗

arXiv2021

Finitary type theories with and without contexts

We give a definition of finitary type theories that subsumes many examples of dependent type theories, such as variants of Martin-L\"of type theory, simple type theories, first-order and higher-order logics, and homotopy type theory. We prove several general meta-theorems about finitary type theories: weakening, admissibility of substitution and instantiation of metavariables, derivability of presuppositions, uniqueness of typing, and inversion principles. We then give a second formulation of finitary type theories in which there are no explicit contexts. Instead, free variables are explicitly annotated with their types. We provide translations between finitary type theories with and without contexts, thereby showing that they have the same expressive power. The context-free type theory is implemented in the nucleus of the Andromeda 2 proof assistant.

math.LO↗

arXiv2021

Instance reducibility and Weihrauch degrees

We identify a notion of reducibility between predicates, called instance reducibility, which commonly appears in reverse constructive mathematics. The notion can be generally used to compare and classify various principles studied in reverse constructive mathematics (formal Church's thesis, Brouwer's Continuity principle and Fan theorem, Excluded middle, Limited principle, Function choice, Markov's principle, etc.). We show that the instance degrees form a frame, i.e., a complete lattice in which finite infima distribute over set-indexed suprema. They turn out to be equivalent to the frame of upper sets of truth values, ordered by the reverse Smyth partial order. We study the overall structure of the lattice: the subobject classifier embeds into the lattice in two different ways, one monotone and the other antimonotone, and the $\lnot\lnot$-dense degrees coincide with those that are reducible to the degree of Excluded middle. We give an explicit formulation of instance degrees in a relative realizability topos, and call these extended Weihrauch degrees, because in Kleene-Vesley realizability the $\lnot\lnot$-dense modest instance degrees correspond precisely to Weihrauch degrees. The extended degrees improve the structure of Weihrauch degrees by equipping them with computable infima and suprema, an implication, the ability to control access to parameters and computation of results, and by generally widening the scope of Weihrauch reducibility.

math.LO↗

arXiv2021

An extensible equality checking algorithm for dependent type theories

We present a general and user-extensible equality checking algorithm that is applicable to a large class of type theories. The algorithm has a type-directed phase for applying extensionality rules and a normalization phase based on computation rules, where both kinds of rules are defined using the type-theoretic concept of object-invertible rules. We also give sufficient syntactic criteria for recognizing such rules, as well as a simple pattern-matching algorithm for applying them. A third component of the algorithm is a suitable notion of principal arguments, which determines a notion of normal form. By varying these, we obtain known notions, such as weak head-normal and strong normal forms. We prove that our algorithm is sound. We implemented it in the Andromeda 2 proof assistant, which supports user-definable type theories. The user need only provide the equality rules they wish to use, which the algorithm automatically classifies as computation or extensionality rules, and select appropriate principal arguments.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2020

A general definition of dependent type theories

We define a general class of dependent type theories, encompassing Martin-L\"of's intuitionistic type theories and variants and extensions. The primary aim is pragmatic: to unify and organise their study, allowing results and constructions to be given in reasonable generality, rather than just for specific theories. Compared to other approaches, our definition stays closer to the direct or naive reading of syntax, yielding the traditional presentations of specific theories as closely as possible. Specifically, we give three main definitions: raw type theories, a minimal setup for discussing dependently typed derivability; acceptable type theories, including extra conditions ensuring well-behavedness; and well-presented type theories, generalising how in traditional presentations, the well-behavedness of a type theory is established step by step as the type theory is built up. Following these, we show that various fundamental fitness-for-purpose metatheorems hold in this generality. Much of the present work has been formalised in the proof assistant Coq.

math.LO↗

arXiv2020

Runners in action

Runners of algebraic effects, also known as comodels, provide a mathematical model of resource management. We show that they also give rise to a programming concept that models top-level external resources, as well as allows programmers to modularly define their own intermediate "virtual machines". We capture the core ideas of programming with runners in an equational calculus $λ_{\mathsf{coop}}$, which we equip with a sound and coherent denotational semantics that guarantees the linear use of resources and execution of finalisation code. We accompany $λ_{\mathsf{coop}}$ with examples of runners in action, provide a prototype language implementation in OCaml, as well as a Haskell library based on $λ_{\mathsf{coop}}$.

cs.PL↗

arXiv2019

What is algebraic about algebraic effects and handlers?

This note recapitulates and expands the contents of a tutorial on the mathematical theory of algebraic effects and handlers which I gave at the Dagstuhl seminar 18172 "Algebraic effect handlers go mainstream". It is targeted roughly at the level of a doctoral student with some amount of mathematical training, or at anyone already familiar with algebraic effects and handlers as programming concepts who would like to know what they have to do with algebra. We draw an uninterrupted line of thought between algebra and computational effects. We begin on the mathematical side of things, by reviewing the classic notions of universal algebra: signatures, algebraic theories, and their models. We then generalize and adapt the theory so that it applies to computational effects. In the last step we replace traditional mathematical notation with one that is closer to programming languages.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2018

Every metric space is separable in function realizability

We first show that in the function realizability topos every metric space is separable, and every object with decidable equality is countable. More generally, working with synthetic topology, every $T_0$-space is separable and every discrete space is countable. It follows that intuitionistic logic does not show the existence of a non-separable metric space, or an uncountable set with decidable equality, even if we assume principles that are validated by function realizability, such as Dependent and Function choice, Markov's principle, and Brouwer's continuity and fan principles.

math.LO↗

arXiv2018

Design and Implementation of the Andromeda Proof Assistant

Andromeda is an LCF-style proof assistant where the user builds derivable judgments by writing code in a meta-level programming language AML. The only trusted component of Andromeda is a minimalist nucleus (an implementation of the inference rules of an object-level type theory), which controls construction and decomposition of type-theoretic judgments. Since the nucleus does not perform complex tasks like equality checking beyond syntactic equality, this responsibility is delegated to the user, who implements one or more equality checking procedures in the meta-language. The AML interpreter requests witnesses of equality from user code using the mechanism of algebraic operations and handlers. Dynamic checks in the nucleus guarantee that no invalid object-level derivations can be constructed. %even if the AML code (or interpreter) is untrusted. To demonstrate the flexibility of this system structure, we implemented a nucleus consisting of dependent type theory with equality reflection. Equality reflection provides a very high level of expressiveness, as it allows the user to add new judgmental equalities, but it also destroys desirable meta-theoretic properties of type theory (such as decidability and strong normalization). The power of effects and handlers in AML is demonstrated by a standard library that provides default algorithms for equality checking, computation of normal forms, and implicit argument filling. Users can extend these new algorithms by providing local "hints" or by completely replacing these algorithms for particular developments. We demonstrate the resulting system by showing how to axiomatize and compute with natural numbers, by axiomatizing the untyped $λ$-calculus, and by implementing a simple automated system for managing a universe of types.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2016

The HoTT Library: A formalization of homotopy type theory in Coq

We report on the development of the HoTT library, a formalization of homotopy type theory in the Coq proof assistant. It formalizes most of basic homotopy type theory, including univalence, higher inductive types, and significant amounts of synthetic homotopy theory, as well as category theory and modalities. The library has been used as a basis for several independent developments. We discuss the decisions that led to the design of the library, and we comment on the interaction of homotopy type theory with recently introduced features of Coq, such as universe polymorphism and private inductive types.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2014

An Effect System for Algebraic Effects and Handlers

We present an effect system for core Eff, a simplified variant of Eff, which is an ML-style programming language with first-class algebraic effects and handlers. We define an expressive effect system and prove safety of operational semantics with respect to it. Then we give a domain-theoretic denotational semantics of core Eff, using Pitts's theory of minimal invariant relations, and prove it adequate. We use this fact to develop tools for finding useful contextual equivalences, including an induction principle. To demonstrate their usefulness, we use these tools to derive the usual equations for mutable state, including a general commutativity law for computations using non-interfering references. We have formalized the effect system, the operational semantics, and the safety theorem in Twelf.

cs.PL↗

arXiv2013

A non-commutative Priestley duality

We prove that the category of left-handed strongly distributive skew lattices with zero and proper homomorphisms is dually equivalent to a category of sheaves over local Priestley spaces. Our result thus provides a non-commutative version of classical Priestley duality for distributive lattices and generalizes the recent development of Stone duality for skew Boolean algebras. From the point of view of skew lattices, Leech showed early on that any strongly distributive skew lattice can be embedded in the skew lattice of partial functions on some set with the operations being given by restriction and so-called override. Our duality shows that there is a canonical choice for this embedding. Conversely, from the point of view of sheaves over Boolean spaces, our results show that skew lattices correspond to Priestley orders on these spaces and that skew lattice structures are naturally appropriate in any setting involving sheaves over Priestley spaces.

math.RA↗

arXiv2012

Programming with Algebraic Effects and Handlers

Eff is a programming language based on the algebraic approach to computational effects, in which effects are viewed as algebraic operations and effect handlers as homomorphisms from free algebras. Eff supports first-class effects and handlers through which we may easily define new computational effects, seamlessly combine existing ones, and handle them in novel ways. We give a denotational semantics of eff and discuss a prototype implementation based on it. Through examples we demonstrate how the standard effects are treated in eff, and how eff supports programming techniques that use various forms of delimited continuations, such as backtracking, breadth-first search, selection functionals, cooperative multi-threading, and others.

cs.PL↗