Primitive Recursive Research Articles

Term extraction and Ramsey's theorem for pairs

AbstractIn this paper we study with proof-theoretic methods the function(al)s provably recursive relative to Ramsey's theorem for pairs and the cohesive principle (COH).Our main result on COH is that the type 2 functional provably recursive fromare primitive recursive. This also provides a uniform method to extract bounds from proofs that use these principles. As a consequence we obtain a new proof of the fact thatis-conservative over PRA.Recent work of the first author showed thatis equivalent to a weak variant of the Bolzano-Weierstraß principle. This makes it possible to use our results to analyze not only combinatorial but also analytical proofs.For Ramsey's theorem for pairs and two colorswe obtain the upper bounded that the type 2 functional provable recursive relative toare inT1. This is the fragment of Gödel's systemTcontaining only type 1 recursion—roughly speaking it consists of functions of Ackermann type. With this we also obtain a uniform method for the extraction ofT1-bounds from proofs that use. Moreover, this yields a new proof of the fact thatis-conservative over.The results are obtained in two steps: in the first step a term including Skolem functions for the above principles is extracted from a given proof. This is done using Gödel's functional interpretation. After this the term is normalized, such that only specific instances of the Skolem functions are used. In the second step this term is interpreted using-comprehension. The comprehension is then eliminated in favor of induction using either elimination of monotone Skolem functions (for COH) or Howard's ordinal analysis of bar recursion (for).

Mendler-style Iso-(Co)inductive predicates: a strongly normalizing approach

We present an extension of the second-order logic AF2 with iso-style inductive and coinductive definitions specifically designed to extract programs from proofs a la Krivine-Parigot by means of primitive (co)recursion principles. Our logic includes primitive constructors of least and greatest fixed points of predicate transformers, but contrary to the common approach, we do not restrict ourselves to positive operators to ensure monotonicity, instead we use the Mendler-style, motivated here by the concept of monotonization of an arbitrary operator on a complete lattice. We prove an adequacy theorem with respect to a realizability semantics based on saturated sets and saturated-valued functions and as a consequence we obtain the strong normalization property for the proof-term reduction, an important feature which is absent in previous related work.

Derivation Lengths Classification of G\"odel's T Extending Howard's Assignment

Let T be Goedel's system of primitive recursive functionals of finite type in the lambda formulation. We define by constructive means using recursion on nested multisets a multivalued function I from the set of terms of T into the set of natural numbers such that if a term a reduces to a term b and if a natural number I(a) is assigned to a then a natural number I(b) can be assigned to b such that I(a) is greater than I(b). The construction of I is based on Howard's 1970 ordinal assignment for T and Weiermann's 1996 treatment of T in the combinatory logic version. As a corollary we obtain an optimal derivation length classification for the lambda formulation of T and its fragments. Compared with Weiermann's 1996 exposition this article yields solutions to several non-trivial problems arising from dealing with lambda terms instead of combinatory logic terms. It is expected that the methods developed here can be applied to other higher order rewrite systems resulting in new powerful termination orderings since T is a paradigm for such systems.

Ologs: A Categorical Framework for Knowledge Representation

In this paper we introduce the olog, or ontology log, a category-theoretic model for knowledge representation (KR). Grounded in formal mathematics, ologs can be rigorously formulated and cross-compared in ways that other KR models (such as semantic networks) cannot. An olog is similar to a relational database schema; in fact an olog can serve as a data repository if desired. Unlike database schemas, which are generally difficult to create or modify, ologs are designed to be user-friendly enough that authoring or reconfiguring an olog is a matter of course rather than a difficult chore. It is hoped that learning to author ologs is much simpler than learning a database definition language, despite their similarity. We describe ologs carefully and illustrate with many examples. As an application we show that any primitive recursive function can be described by an olog. We also show that ologs can be aligned or connected together into a larger network using functors. The various methods of information flow and institutions can then be used to integrate local and global world-views. We finish by providing several different avenues for future research.

Implicit complexity for coinductive data: a characterization of corecurrence

We propose a framework for reasoning about programs that manipulate coinductive data as well as inductive data. Our approach is based on using equational programs, which support a seamless combination of computation and reasoning, and using productivity (fairness) as the fundamental assertion, rather than bi-simulation. The latter is expressible in terms of the former. As an application to this framework, we give an implicit characterization of corecurrence: a function is definable using corecurrence iff its productivity is provable using coinduction for formulas in which data-predicates do not occur negatively. This is an analog, albeit in weaker form, of a characterization of recurrence (i.e. primitive recursion) in [Leivant, Unipolar induction, TCS 318, 2004].

Gödel functional interpretation and weak compactness

In recent years, proof theoretic transformations (so-called proof interpretations) that are based on extensions of monotone forms of Gödel’s famous functional (‘Dialectica’) interpretation have been used systematically to extract new content from proofs in abstract nonlinear analysis. This content consists both in effective quantitative bounds as well as in qualitative uniformity results. One of the main ineffective tools in abstract functional analysis is the use of sequential forms of weak compactness. As we recently verified, the sequential form of weak compactness for bounded closed and convex subsets of an abstract (not necessarily separable) Hilbert space can be carried out in suitable formal systems that are covered by existing metatheorems developed in the course of the proof mining program. In particular, it follows that the monotone functional interpretation of this weak compactness principle can be realized by a functional Ω∗ definable from bar recursion (in the sense of Spector) of lowest type. While a case study on the analysis of strong convergence results (due to Browder and Wittmann resp.) that are based on weak compactness indicates that the use of the latter seems to be eliminable, things apparently are different for weak convergence theorems such as the famous Baillon nonlinear ergodic theorem. For this theorem we recently extracted an explicit bound on a metastable (in the sense of T. Tao) version of this theorem that is primitive recursive relative to (a somewhat restricted form of) Ω∗.In the current paper we for the first time give the construction of Ω∗ (in the form needed for the unwinding of Baillon’s theorem). As a corollary to the fine analysis of the use of bar recursion in this construction we obtain that Ω∗ elevates arguments in Tn at most to resulting functionals in Tn+2 (here Tn is the fragment of Gödel’s T with primitive recursion restricted to the type level n). In particular, one can conclude from this that our bound on Baillon’s theorem is at least definable in T4.

A Proof-Theoretic Account of Primitive Recursion and Primitive Iteration

We revisit both the usual ``going-up'' induction principle and Manna and Waldinger's ``going-down'' induction principle for primitive recursion,`a la Goedel, and primitive iteration, `a la Church. We use 'Kleene's trick' to show that primitive recursion and primitive iiteration are as expressive as the other, even in the presence of accumulators. As a result, we can directly extract a variety of recursive and iterative functional programs of the kind usually written or optimized by hand.

Checking system boundedness using ordinary differential equations

Boundedness is one of the most important properties of discrete Petri nets. Determining the boundedness of a Petri net is usually done through building coverability graph or coverability tree. However, the computation is infeasible for complex applications because the size of the coverability graph may increase faster than any primitive recursive functions. This paper proposes a new technique to check the boundedness without causing this problem. Let a concurrent system be represented by a (discrete) Petri net. By relaxing the (discrete) Petri net to a continuous Petri net, we can model the concurrent system by a family of ordinary differential equations. It has been shown that the boundedness of the discrete Petri net is equivalent to the boundedness of the solutions of the corresponding ordinary differential equations. Hence, we can check the boundedness of a (discrete) Petri net by analyzing the solutions of a family of ordinary differential equations. A case study demonstrates the benefits of our technique.

On nested simple recursion

We give a novel proof that primitive recursive functions are closed under nested simple recursion. This new presentation is supplied with a detailed proof which can be easily formalized in small fragments of Peano Arithmetic.

A characterization of computable analysis on unbounded domains using differential equations

The functions of computable analysis are defined by enhancing normal Turing machines to deal with real number inputs. We consider characterizations of these functions using function algebras, known as real recursive functions. Since there are numerous incompatible models of computation over the reals, it is interesting to find that the two very different models we consider can be set up to yield exactly the same functions. Bournez and Hainry used a function algebra to characterize computable analysis, restricted to the twice continuously differentiable functions with compact domains. In our earlier paper, we found a different (and apparently more natural) function algebra that also yields computable analysis, with the same restriction. In this paper we improve earlier work, finding three function algebras characterizing computable analysis, removing the restriction to twice continuously differentiable functions and allowing unbounded domains. One of these function algebras is built upon the widely studied real primitive recursive functions. Furthermore, the proof of this paper uses our previously developed method of approximation, whose applicability is further evidenced by this paper.

A Representation Theorem for Primitive Recursive Algorithms

We formalize the algorithms computing primitive recursive (PR) functions as the abstract state machines (ASMs) whose running length is computable by a PR function. Then we show that there exists a programming language (implementing only PR functions) by which it is possible to implement any one of the previously defined algorithms for the PR functions in such a way that their complexity is preserved.

Function operators spanning the arithmetical and the polynomial hierarchy

A modified version of the classical μ-operator as well as the first value operator and the operator of inverting unary functions, applied in combination with the composition of functions and starting from the primitive recursive functions, generate all arithmetically representable functions. Moreover, the nesting levels of these operators are closely related to the stratification of the arithmetical hierarchy. The same is shown for some further function operators known from computability and complexity theory. The close relationships between nesting levels of operators and the stratification of the hierarchy also hold for suitable restrictions of the operators with respect to the polynomial hierarchy if one starts with the polynomial-time computable functions. It follows that questions around P υs. NP and NP υs. coNP can equivalently be expressed by closure properties of function classes under these operators. The polytime version of the first value operator can be used to establish hierarchies between certain consecutive levels within the polynomial hierarchy of functions, which are related to generalizations of the Boolean hierarchies over the classes Σ p k .

General Ramified Recurrence is Sound for Polynomial Time

Leivant's ramified recurrence is one of the earliest examples of an implicit characterization of the polytime functions as a subalgebra of the primitive recursive functions. Leivant's result, however, is originally stated and proved only for word algebras, i.e. free algebras whose constructors take at most one argument. This paper presents an extension of these results to ramified functions on any free algebras, provided the underlying terms are represented as graphs rather than trees, so that sharing of identical subterms can be exploited.

Parametricity, type equality, and higher-order polymorphism

AbstractPropositions that express type equality are a frequent ingredient of modern functional programming – they can encode generic functions, dynamic types, and GADTs. Via the Curry–Howard correspondence, these propositions are ordinarytypesinhabited by proofterms, computed using runtime type representations. In this paper we show that two examples of type equality propositions actually do reflect type equality; they are only inhabited when their arguments are equal and their proofs are unique (up to equivalence.) We show this result in the context of a strongly normalizing language with higher-order polymorphism and primitive recursion over runtime-type representations by proving Reynolds's abstraction theorem. We then use this theorem to derive “free” theorems about equality types.

Monotonicity Constraints in Characterizations of PSPACE

A celebrated contribution of Bellantoni and Cook was a function algebra to capture FPTIME. This algebra uses recursion on notation. Later, Oitavem showed that including primitive recursion, an algebra is obtained that captures FPSPACE. The main results of this article concern variants of the later algebra. First, we show that iteration can replace primitive recursion. Then, we consider the results of imposing a monotonicity constraint on the primitive recursion or iteration. We find that in the case of iteration, the power of the algebra shrinks to FPTIME. More interestingly, with primitive recursion, we obtain a new implicit characterization of the polynomial hierarchy (FPH). The idea to consider these monotonicity constraints arose from the results on write-once tapes for Turing machines. We review this background and also note a new machine characterization of ΔP2, that similarly to our function algebras, arises by combining monotonicity constraints with a known characterization of PSPACE.

Ramsey's Theorem for Pairs and Provably Recursive Functions

This paper addresses the strength of Ramsey's theorem for pairs ( R T 2 2 ) over a weak base theory from the perspective of 'proof mining'. Let R T 2 2 − denote Ramsey's theorem for pairs where the coloring is given by an explicit term involving only numeric variables. We add this principle to a weak base theory that includes weak König's Lemma and a substantial amount of Σ 1 0 -induction (enough to prove the totality of all primitive recursive functions but not of all primitive recursive functionals). In the resulting theory we show the extractability of primitive recursive programs and uniform bounds from proofs of ∀ ∃ -theorems. There are two components of this work. The first component is a general proof-theoretic result, due to the second author, that establishes conservation results for restricted principles of choice and comprehension over primitive recursive arithmetic PRA as well as a method for the extraction of primitive recursive bounds from proofs based on such principles. The second component is the main novelty of the paper: it is shown that a proof of Ramsey's theorem due to Erdős and Rado can be formalized using these restricted principles. So from the perspective of proof unwinding the computational content of concrete proofs based on R T 2 2 the computational complexity will, in most practical cases, not go beyond primitive recursive complexity. This even is the case when the theorem to be proved has function parameters f and the proof uses instances of R T 2 2 that are primitive recursive in f.

Two extensions of system F with (co)iteration and primitive (co)recursion principles

This paper presents two extensions of the second order polymorphic lambda calculus, system F, with monotone (co)inductive types supporting (co)iteration, primitive (co)recursion and inversion principles as primitives. One extension is inspired by the usual categorical approach to programming by means of initial algebras and final coalgebras; whereas the other models dialgebras, and can be seen as an extension of Hagino's categorical lambda calculus within the framework of parametric polymorphism. The systems are presented in Curry-style, and are proven to be terminating and type-preserving. Moreover their expressiveness is shown by means of several programming examples, going from usual data types to lazy codata types such as streams or infinite trees.

Finitary Set Theory

I argue for the use of the adjunction operator (adding a single new element to an existing set) as a basis for building a finitary set theory. It allows a simplified axiomatization for the first-order theory of hereditarily finite sets based on an induction schema and a rigorous characterization of the primitive recursive set functions. The latter leads to a primitive recursive presentation of arithmetical operations on finite sets.

A foundation for real recursive function theory

The class of recursive functions over the reals, denoted by REC ( R ) , was introduced by Cristopher Moore in his seminal paper written in 1995. Since then many subsequent investigations brought new results: the class REC ( R ) was put in relation with the class of functions generated by the General Purpose Analogue Computer of Claude Shannon; classical digital computation was embedded in several ways into the new model of computation; restrictions of REC ( R ) were proved to represent different classes of recursive functions, e.g., recursive, primitive recursive and elementary functions, and structures such as the Ritchie and the Grzergorczyk hierarchies. The class of real recursive functions was then stratified in a natural way, and REC ( R ) and the analytic hierarchy were recently recognised as two faces of the same mathematical concept. In this new article, we bring a strong foundational support to the Real Recursive Function Theory, rooted in Mathematical Analysis, in a way that the reader can easily recognise both its intrinsic mathematical beauty and its extreme simplicity. The new paradigm is now robust and smooth enough to be taught. To achieve such a result some concepts had to change and some new results were added.

Unary primitive recursive functions

AbstractIn this article, we study some new characterizations of primitive recursive functions based on restricted forms of primitive recursion, improving the pioneering work of R. M. Robinson and M. D. Gladstone. We reduce certain recursion schemes (mixed/pure iteration without parameters) and we characterize one-argument primitive recursive functions as the closure under substitution and iteration of certain optimal sets.