Equational Axioms Research Articles

On the axiomatisability of priority

This paper studies the equational theory of bisimulation equivalence over the process algebra BCCSP extended with the priority operator of Baeten, Bergstra and Klop. We prove that, in the presence of an infinite set of actions, bisimulation equivalence has no finite, sound, ground-complete equational axiomatisation over that language. This negative result applies even if the syntax is extended with an arbitrary collection of auxiliary operators, and motivates the study of axiomatisations using equations with action predicates as conditions. In the presence of an infinite set of actions, it is shown that, in general, bisimulation equivalence has no finite, sound, ground-complete axiomatisation consisting of equations with action predicates as conditions over the language studied in this paper. Finally, sufficient conditions on the priority structure over actions are identified that lead to a finite, ground-complete axiomatisation of bisimulation equivalence using equations with action predicates as conditions.

Axioms for control operators in the CPS hierarchy

A CPS translation is a syntactic translation of programs, which is useful for describing their operational behavior. By iterating the standard call-by-value CPS translation, Danvy and Filinski discovered the CPS hierarchy and proposed a family of control operators, shift and reset, that make it possible to capture successive delimited continuations in a CPS hierarchy. Although shift and reset have found their applications in several areas such as partial evaluation, most studies in the literature have been devoted to the base level of the hierarchy, namely, to level-1 shift and reset. In this article, we investigate the whole family of shift and reset. We give a simple calculus with level-n shift and level-n reset for an arbitrary n>0. We then give a set of equational axioms for them, and prove that these axioms are sound and complete with respect to the CPS translation. The resulting set of axioms is concise and a natural extension of those for level-1 shift and reset.

Belnap’s logic and conditional composition

We study two alternative bases for Belnap’s four-valued logic and provide complete equational axiomatizations for them. One is called conditional composition logic. It has a single, ternary if-then-else connective with a sequential, operational reading, and four constants for the truth values. The other logic is called guard logic. The main motivation for this logic lies in its technical properties. It admits a useful type of canonical form (term representation), and a relatively simple strategy for equational reasoning.

The Saga of the Axiomatization of Parallel Composition

This paper surveys some classic and recent results on the finite axiomatizability of bisimilarity over CCS-like languages. It focuses, in particular, on non-finite axiomatizability results stemming from the semantic interplay between parallel composition and nondeterministic choice. The paper also highlights the role that auxiliary operators, such as Bergstra and Klop's left and communication merge and Hennessy's merge operator, play in the search for a finite, equational axiomatization of parallel composition both for classic process algebras and for their real-time extensions.

Impossibility Results in the Equational Logic of Processes

This talk offers a survey of negative results on the existence of finite equational axiomatizations for bisimulation equivalence over fragments of algebraic process calculi.

Ready To Preorder: Get Your BCCSP Axiomatization for Free!

This paper contributes to the study of the equational theory of the semantics in van Glabbeek's linear time - branching time spectrum over the language BCCSP, a basic process algebra for the description of finite synchronization trees. It offers an algorithm for producing a complete (respectively, ground-complete) equational axiomatization of a behavioral congruence lying between ready simulation equivalence and partial traces equivalence from a complete (respectively, ground-complete) inequational axiomatization of its underlying precongruence--that is, of the precongruence whose kernel is the equivalence. The algorithm preserves finiteness of the axiomatization when the set of actions is finite. It follows that each equivalence in the spectrum whose discriminating power lies in between that of ready simulation and partial traces equivalence is finitely axiomatizable over the language BCCSP if so is its defining preorder.

Impressões lingüísticas sobre duas axiomatizações para a Gramática Categorial

No presente texto, compara-se de uma perspectiva exclusivamente lingüística duas axiomatizações diferentes, mas logicamente equivalentes, da Gramática Categorial: 1) a chamada Gramática Categorial Clássica e 2) o cálculo de Lambek em Dedução Natural. Para isso, cada uma dessas axiomatizações são apresentadas separadamente e depois consideradas em relação ao tipo de representação do conhecimento lingüístico em cada uma delas. Por fim, apresenta-se como conclusão a preferência pela axiomatização da Gramática Categorial Clássica. E ainda que ela tenha uma motivação exclusivamente lingüística, a diferença entre as duas pode afetar a maneira como o conhecimento lingüístico (especialmente o lexical) precisa ser representado em analisadores para Gramática Categorial.

Kleene algebra with domain

We propose Kleene algebra with domain (KAD), an extension of Kleene algebra with two equational axioms for a domain and a codomain operation, respectively. KAD considerably augments the expressiveness of Kleene algebra, in particular for the specification and analysis of state transition systems. We develop the basic calculus, discuss some related theories and present the most important models of KAD. We demonstrate applicability by two examples: First, an algebraic reconstruction of Noethericity and well-foundedness; second, an algebraic reconstruction of propositional Hoare logic.

Kleene algebra with domain

We propose Kleene algebra with domain (KAD), an extension of Kleene algebra by simple equational axioms for a domain and a codomain operation. KAD considerably augments the expressiveness of Kleene algebra, in particular for the specification and analysis of programs and state transition systems. We develop the basic calculus, present the most interesting models and discuss some related theories. We demonstrate applicability by two examples: algebraic reconstructions of Noethericity and propositional Hoare logic based on equational reasoning.

Bisimilarity is not finitely based over BPA with interrupt

This paper shows that bisimulation equivalence does not afford a finite equational axiomatization over the language obtained by enriching Bergstra and Klop's basic process algebra (BPA) with the interrupt operator. Moreover, it is shown that the collection of closed equations over this language is also not finitely based. In sharp contrast to these results, the collection of closed equations over the language BPA enriched with the disrupt operator is proven to be finitely based.

The Quest for Equational Axiomatizations of Parallel Composition: Status and Open Problems

This essay recounts the story of the quest for equational axiomatizations of parallel composition operators in process description languages, and of similar results in the classic field of formal language theory. Some of the outstanding open problems are also mentioned.

On the Axiomatizability of Priority

This paper studies the equational theory of bisimulation equivalence over the process algebra BCCSP extended with the priority operator of Baeten, Bergstra and Klop. It is proven that, in the presence of an infinite set of actions, bisimulation equivalence has no finite, sound, ground-complete equational axiomatization over that language. This negative result applies even if the syntax is extended with an arbitrary collection of auxiliary operators, and motivates the study of axiomatizations using conditional equations. In the presence of an infinite set of actions, it is shown that, in general, bisimulation equivalence has no finite, sound, ground-complete axiomatization consisting of conditional equations over the language studied in this paper. Finally, sufficient conditions on the priority structure over actions are identified that lead to a finite, ground-complete axiomatization of bisimulation equivalence using conditional equations.

Axiomatic Extensions of IMT3 Logic

In this paper we characterize, classify and axiomatize all axiomatic extensions of the IMT3 logic. This logic is the axiomatic extension of the involutive monoidal t-norm logic given by ¬φ3 ∨ φ. For our purpose we study the lattice of all subvarieties of the class IMT3, which is the variety of IMTL-algebras given by the equation ¬(x3) ∨ x ≈ ⊤, and it is the algebraic counterpart of IMT3 logic. Since every subvariety of IMT3 is generated by their totally ordered members, we study the structure of all IMT3-chains in order to determine the lattice of all subvarieties of IMT3. Given a family of IMT3-chains the number of elements of the largest odd finite subalgebra in the family and the number of elements of the largest even finite subalgebra in the family turns out to be a complete classifier of the variety generated. We obtain a canonical set of generators and a finite equational axiomatization for each subvariety and, for each corresponding logic, a finite set of characteristic matrices and a finite set of axioms.

Complete Axiomatizations for Quantum Actions

We present two equivalent axiomatizations for a logic of quantum actions: one in terms of quantum transition systems, and the other in terms of quantum dynamic algebras. The main contribution of the paper is conceptual, offering a new view of quantum structures in terms of their underlying logical dynamics. We also prove Representation Theorems, showing these axiomatizations to be complete with respect to the natural Hilbert-space semantics. The advantages of this setting are many: (1) it provides a clear and intuitive dynamic-operational meaning to key postulates (e.g. Orthomodularity, Covering Law); (2) it reduces the complexity of the Soler–Mayet axiomatization by replacing some of their key higher-order concepts (e.g. “automorphisms of the ortholattice”) by first-order objects (“actions”) in our structure; (3) it provides a link between traditional quantum logic and the needs of quantum computation.

A calculus of coroutines

We describe a simple but expressive calculus of sequential processes, represented as coroutines. We show that this calculus can be used to express a variety of programming language features including procedure calls, labelled jumps, integer references and stacks. We describe the operational properties of the calculus using reduction rules and equational axioms. We describe a notion of categorical model for our calculus, and give a simple example of such a model based on a category of games and strategies. We prove full abstraction results showing that equivalence in the categorical model corresponds to observational equivalence in the calculus, and also to equivalence of evaluation trees, which are infinitary normal forms for the calculus. We show that our categorical model can be used to interpret the untyped λ -calculus and use this fact to extract a sound translation of the latter into our calculus of coroutines.

Bisimilarity is not Finitely Based over BPA with Interrupt

This paper shows that bisimulation equivalence does not afford a finite equational axiomatization over the language obtained by enriching Bergstra and Klop's Basic Process Algebra with the interrupt operator. Moreover, it is shown that the collection of closed equations over this language is also not finitely based. In sharp contrast to these results, the collection of closed equations over the language BPA enriched with the disrupt operator is proven to be finitely based.

Perfect and bipartite IMTL-algebras and disconnected rotations of prelinear semihoops

IMTL logic was introduced in [12] as a generalization of the infinitely-valued logic of Lukasiewicz, and in [11] it was proved to be the logic of left-continuous t-norms with an involutive negation and their residua. The structure of such t-norms is still not known. Nevertheless, Jenei introduced in [20] a new way to obtain rotation-invariant semigroups and, in particular, IMTL-algebras and left-continuous t-norm with an involutive negation, by means of the disconnected rotation method. In order to give an algebraic interpretation to this construction, we generalize the concepts of perfect, bipartite and local algebra used in the classification of MV-algebras to the wider variety of IMTL-algebras and we prove that perfect algebras are exactly those algebras obtained from a prelinear semihoop by Jenei's disconnected rotation. We also prove that the variety generated by all perfect IMTL-algebras is the variety of the IMTL-algebras that are bipartite by every maximal filter and we give equational axiomatizations for it.

Split-2 Bisimilarity has a Finite Axiomatization over CCS with Hennessy's Merge

This note shows that split-2 bisimulation equivalence (also known as timed equivalence) affords a finite equational axiomatization over the process algebra obtained by adding an auxiliary operation proposed by Hennessy in 1981 to the recursion, relabelling and restriction free fragment of Milner's Calculus of Communicating Systems. Thus the addition of a single binary operation, viz. Hennessy's merge, is sufficient for the finite equational axiomatization of parallel composition modulo this non-interleaving equivalence. This result is in sharp contrast to a theorem previously obtained by the same authors to the effect that the same language is not finitely based modulo bisimulation equivalence.

Process algebra for hybrid systems

We propose a process algebra obtained by extending a combination of the process algebra with continuous relative timing from Baeten and Middelburg (Process Algebra with Timing, Springer, Berlin, 2002, Chapter 4), and the process algebra with propositional signals from Baeten and Bergstra (Theoret. Comput. Sci. 177 (1977) 381–405). The proposed process algebra makes it possible to deal with the behaviour of hybrid systems, i.e. systems in which the instantaneous state transitions caused by performing actions are alternated with continuous state evolutions. This process algebra has, in addition to equational axioms, rules to derive equations with the help of real analysis.

An Algebraic Theory Of Boundary Crossing Transitions

This paper gives a process-algebraic semantics for the hierarchical state machine (HSM) fragment of Statecharts, in which state transitions are permitted to cross state boundaries. Although frowned upon by researchers as promoting unstructured modeling, such transitions are used extensively in practice to model parameterized start states and conditional exit states. The purpose of this work is to develop a compositional semantics for HSMs that may be fit together with compositional semantic accounts for Statecharts without boundary-crossing transitions in order to arrive at a compositional theory for virtually the whole Statecharts language. Our technical development consists of a process algebra for HSMs that is equipped with an operational semantics, an argument that bisimulation is a congruence for the algebra, a syntax-directed translation procedure for HSMs into the process algebra, and an equational axiomatization of the algebra.