Recursive Function Definitions Research Articles

Finitism, imperative programs and primitive recursion

Abstract Following the Crisis of Foundations Hilbert proposed to consider a finitistic form of arithmetic as mathematics’ safe core. This approach to finitism has often admitted primitive recursive function definitions as obviously finitistic, but some have advocated the inclusion of additional variants of recurrence, while others argued that, to the contrary, primitive recursion exceeds finitism. In a landmark essay, William Tait contested the finitistic nature of these extensions, due to their impredicativity, and advocated identifying finitism with primitive recursive arithmetic, a stance often referred to as Tait’s Thesis. However, a problem with Tait’s argument is that the recurrence schema has itself impredicative and non-finitistic facets, starting with an explicit reference to the functions being defined, which are after all infinite objects. It is therefore desirable to buttress Tait’s Thesis on grounds that avoid altogether any trace of concrete infinities or impredicativity. We propose here to do just that, building on the generic framework of [ 13]. We provide further evidence for Tait’s Thesis by outlining a proof of a purely finitistic version of Parsons’ theorem, whose intuitive gist is that finitistic reasoning is equivalent to finitistic computing.

A SCHEMATIC DEFINITION OF QUANTUM POLYNOMIAL TIME COMPUTABILITY

AbstractIn the past four decades, the notion of quantum polynomial-time computability has been mathematically modeled by quantum Turing machines as well as quantum circuits. This paper seeks the third model, which is a quantum analogue of the schematic (inductive or constructive) definition of (primitive) recursive functions. For quantum functions mapping finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces to themselves, we present such a schematic definition, composed of a small set of initial quantum functions and a few construction rules that dictate how to build a new quantum function from the existing ones. We prove that our schematic definition precisely characterizes all functions that can be computable with high success probabilities on well-formed quantum Turing machines in polynomial time, or equivalently uniform families of polynomial-size quantum circuits. Our new, schematic definition is quite simple and intuitive and, more importantly, it avoids the cumbersome introduction of the well-formedness condition imposed on a quantum Turing machine model as well as of the uniformity condition necessary for a quantum circuit model. Our new approach can further open a door to the descriptional complexity of quantum functions, to the theory of higher-type quantum functionals, to the development of new first-order theories for quantum computing, and to the designing of programming languages for real-life quantum computer

A Computational Model of the Belief System Under the Scope of Social Communication

This paper presents an approach to the belief system based on a computational framework in three levels: first, the logic level with the definition of binary local rules, second, the arithmetic level with the definition of recursive functions and finally the behavioural level with the definition of a recursive construction pattern. Social communication is achieved when different beliefs are expressed, modified, propagated and shared through social nets. This approach is useful to mimic the belief system because the defined functions provide different ways to process the same incoming information as well as a means to propagate it. Our model also provides a means to cross different beliefs so, any incoming information can be processed many times by the same or different functions as it occurs is social nets.

Abstract GSOS Rules and a Modular Treatment of Recursive Definitions

Terminal coalgebras for a functor serve as semantic domains for state-based systems of various types. For example, behaviors of CCS processes, streams, infinite trees, formal languages and non-well-founded sets form terminal coalgebras. We present a uniform account of the semantics of recursive definitions in terminal coalgebras by combining two ideas: (1) abstract GSOS rules l specify additional algebraic operations on a terminal coalgebra; (2) terminal coalgebras are also initial completely iterative algebras (cias). We also show that an abstract GSOS rule leads to new extended cia structures on the terminal coalgebra. Then we formalize recursive function definitions involving given operations specified by l as recursive program schemes for l, and we prove that unique solutions exist in the extended cias. From our results it follows that the solutions of recursive (function) definitions in terminal coalgebras may be used in subsequent recursive definitions which still have unique solutions. We call this principle modularity. We illustrate our results by the five concrete terminal coalgebras mentioned above, e.\,g., a finite stream circuit defines a unique stream function.

Parametric Compositional Data Types

In previous work we have illustrated the benefits that compositional data types (CDTs) offer for implementing languages and in general for dealing with abstract syntax trees (ASTs). Based on Swierstra's data types \'a la carte, CDTs are implemented as a Haskell library that enables the definition of recursive data types and functions on them in a modular and extendable fashion. Although CDTs provide a powerful tool for analysing and manipulating ASTs, they lack a convenient representation of variable binders. In this paper we remedy this deficiency by combining the framework of CDTs with Chlipala's parametric higher-order abstract syntax (PHOAS). We show how a generalisation from functors to difunctors enables us to capture PHOAS while still maintaining the features of the original implementation of CDTs, in particular its modularity. Unlike previous approaches, we avoid so-called exotic terms without resorting to abstract types: this is crucial when we want to perform transformations on CDTs that inspect the recursively computed CDTs, e.g. constant folding.

Constraints as control

We present an extension of Scala that supports constraint programming over bounded and unbounded domains. The resulting language, Kaplan, provides the benefits of constraint programming while preserving the existing features of Scala. Kaplan integrates constraint and imperative programming by using constraints as an advanced control structure; the developers use the monadic 'for' construct to iterate over the solutions of constraints or branch on the existence of a solution. The constructs we introduce have simple semantics that can be understood as explicit enumeration of values, but are implemented more efficiently using symbolic reasoning. Kaplan programs can manipulate constraints at run-time, with the combined benefits of type-safe syntax trees and first-class functions. The language of constraints is a functional subset of Scala, supporting arbitrary recursive function definitions over algebraic data types, sets, maps, and integers. Our implementation runs on a platform combining a constraint solver with a standard virtual machine. For constraint solving we use an algorithm that handles recursive function definitions through fair function unrolling and builds upon the state-of-the art SMT solver Z3. We evaluate Kaplan on examples ranging from enumeration of data structures to execution of declarative specifications. We found Kaplan promising because it is expressive, supporting a range of problem domains, while enabling full-speed execution of programs that do not rely on constraint programming.

Partial and Nested Recursive Function Definitions in Higher-order Logic

Based on inductive definitions, we develop a tool that automates the definition of partial recursive functions in higher-order logic (HOL) and provides appropriate proof rules for reasoning about them. Termination is modeled by an inductive domain predicate which follows the structure of the recursion. Since a partial induction rule is available immediately, partial correctness properties can be proved before termination is established. It turns out that this modularity also facilitates termination arguments for total functions, in particular for nested recursions. Our tool is implemented as a definitional package extending Isabelle/HOL. Various extensions provide convenience to the user: pattern matching, default values, tail recursion, mutual recursion and currying.

UN-KLEENE BOOLEAN EQUATION SOLVING

We present a new method for finding closed forms of recursive Boolean function definitions. Traditionally, these closed forms are found by Kleene iteration: iterative approximation until a fixed point is reached. Conceptually, our new method replaces each k-ary function by 2k Boolean constants defined by mutual recursion. The introduction of an exponential number of constants is mitigated by the simplicity of their definitions and by the use of a novel variant of ROBDDs to avoid repeated computation. Experiments suggest that this approach is significantly faster than Kleene iteration for examples that require many Kleene iteration steps.

Lightweight fusion by fixed point promotion

This paper proposes a lightweight fusion method for general recursive function definitions. Compared with existing proposals, our method has several significant practical features: it works for general recursive functions on general algebraic data types; it does not produce extra runtime overhea (except for possible code size increase due to the success of fusion); and it is readily incorporated in standard inlining optimization. This is achieved by extending the ordinary inlining process with a new fusion law that transforms a term of the form f o (fix g λx. E ) to a new fixed point term fix h λx. E ′ by promoting the function f through the fixed point operator. This is a sound syntactic transformation rule that is not sensitive to the types of f and g . This property makes our method applicable to wide range of functions including those with multi-parameters in both curried and uncurried forms. Although this method does not guarantee any form of completeness, it fuses typical examples discussed in the literature and others that involve accumulating parameters, either in the tt foldl-like specific forms or in general recursive forms, without any additional machinery. In order to substantiate our claim, we have implemented our method in a compiler. Although it is preliminary, it demonstrates practical feasibility of this method.

Algebraic Correctness Proofs for Compiling Recursive Function Definitions with Strictness Information

Adding appropriate strictness information to recursive function definitions we achieve a uniform treatment of lazy and eager evaluation strategies. By restriction to first-order functions over basic types we develop a pure stack implementation that avoids a heap even for lazy arguments. We present algebraic definitions of denotational, operational, and stack-machine semantics and prove their equivalence by means of structural induction.

Functional programming of real-time reconfigurable embedded systems

Reconfigurable computing arrays will consist of mixtures of processors and discrete logic, which will greatly exacerbate the already difficult problems of hardware/software integration and the proper comprehension of time. An execution model and new language based on functional programming is proposed which removes the distinction between hardware and software and supports statically analysable real-time system design. The language is called 'V' because it can be viewed as the synthesisable subset of Verilog with additional functional programming features. The V compiler generates a net-list of the elementary functions, which are supported by a particular array. The full power of functional programming can be employed with the restriction that some recursive function definitions are executed only at instantiation time. The execution model is cycle based synchronous dataflow. V syntax looks much like Verilog or C without pointers in order to facilitate adoption.

Automatic Formal Synthesis of Hardware from Higher Order Logic

A compiler that automatically translates recursive function definitions in higher order logic to clocked synchronous hardware is described. Compilation is by mechanised proof in the HOL4 system, and generates a correctness theorem for each function that is compiled. Logic formulas representing circuits are synthesised in a form suitable for direct translation to Verilog HDL for simulation and input to standard design automation tools. The compilation scripts are open and can be safely modified: synthesised circuits are correct-by-construction. The synthesisable subset of higher order logic can be extended using additional proof-based tools that transform definitions into the subset.

Toward Automating the Discovery of Decreasing Measures

An often neglected part of proof automation is simply admitting recursive function definitions into a constructive logic. Since function termination in general is undecidable, current generation theorem provers are quick to involve the human. There is, however, a substantial subset of the class of recursive functions for which termination arguments can be provided automatically. In particular, when the ordinal measure used to justify termination is less than $$\omega^{\omega}$$ , we provide algorithms and proofs that guarantee optimum results, given the capability of existing proof libraries on the theorem-proving system.

Programming Examples Needing Polymorphic Recursion

Inferring types for polymorphic recursive function definitions (abbreviated to polymorphic recursion) is a recurring topic on the mailing lists of popular typed programming languages. This is despite the fact that type inference for polymorphic recursion using ∀-types has been proved undecidable. This report presents several programming examples involving polymorphic recursion and determines their typability under various type systems, including the Hindley-Milner system, an intersection-type system, and extensions of these two. The goal of this report is to show that many of these examples are typable using a system of intersection types as an alternative form of polymorphism. By accomplishing this, we hope to lay the foundation for future research into a decidable intersection-type inference algorithm.We do not provide a comprehensive survey of type systems appropriate for polymorphic recursion, with or without type annotations inserted in the source language. Rather, we focus on examples for which types may be inferred without type annotations, with an emphasis on systems of intersection- types.

Only Two Letters: The Correspondence between Herbrand and Gödel

AbstractTwo young logicians, whose work had a dramatic impact on the direction of logic, exchanged two letters in early 1931. Jacques Herbrand initiated the correspondence on 7 April and Kurt Gödel responded on 25 July, just two days before Herbrand died in a mountaineering accident at La Bérarde (Isère). Herbrand's letter played a significant role in the development of computability theory. Gödel asserted in his 1934 Princeton Lectures and on later occasions that it suggested to him a crucial part of the definition of a general recursive function. Understanding this role in detail is of great interest as the notion is absolutely central. The full text of the letter had not been available until recently, and its content (as reported by Gödel) was not in accord with Herbrand's contemporaneous published work. Together, the letters reflect broader intellectual currents of the time: they are intimately linked to the discussion of the incompleteness theorems and their potential impact on Hilbert's Program.

Type-based termination of recursive definitions

This paper introduces $\lambda^\widehat$, a simply typed lambda calculus supporting inductive types and recursive function definitions with termination ensured by types. The system is shown to enjoy subject reduction, strong normalisation of typable terms and to be stronger than a related system $\lambda_{\mathcal{G}}$ in which termination is ensured by a syntactic guard condition. The system can, at will, be extended to support coinductive types and corecursive function definitions also.

Inductive graphs and functional graph algorithms

We propose a new style of writing graph algorithms in functional languages which is based on an alternative view of graphs as inductively defined data types. We show how this graph model can be implemented efficiently, and then we demonstrate how graph algorithms can be succinctly given by recursive function definitions based on the inductive graph view. We also regard this as a contribution to the teaching of algorithms and data structures in functional languages since we can use the functional-style graph algorithms instead of the imperative algorithms that are dominant today.

Using an induction prover for verifying arithmetic circuits

We show that existing theorem proving technology can be used effectively for mechanically verifying a family of arithmetic circuits. A theorem prover implementing: (i) a decision procedure for quantifier-free Presburger arithmetic with uninterpreted function symbols; (ii) conditional rewriting; and (iii) heuristics for carefully selecting induction schemes from terminating recursive function definitions; and (iv) well integrated with backtracking, can automatically verify number-theoretic properties of parameterized and generic adders, multipliers and division circuits. This is illustrated using our theorem prover Rewrite Rule Laboratory (RRL). To our knowledge, this is the first such demonstration of the capabilities of a theorem prover mechanizing induction. The above features of RRL are briefly discussed using illustrations from the verification of adder, multiplier and division circuits. Extensions to the prover likely to make it even more effective for hardware verification are discussed. Furthermore, it is believed that these results are scalable, and the proposed approach is likely to be effective for other arithmetic circuits as well.

Non-primitive Recursive Function Definitions

This paper presents an approach to the problem of introducing<br />non-primitive recursive function definitions in higher order logic. A<br />recursive specification is translated into a domain theory version, where<br />the recursive calls are treated as potentially non-terminating. Once we<br />have proved termination, the original specification can be derived easily.<br />A collection of algorithms are presented which hide the domain theory<br />from a user. Hence, the derivation of a domain theory specification<br />has been automated completely, and for well-founded recursive function<br />specifications the process of deriving the original specification from the<br />domain theory one has been automated as well, though a user must<br />supply a well-founded relation and prove certain termination properties<br />of the specification. There are constructions for building well-founded<br />relations easily.

A HOL Basis for Reasoning about Functional Programs

Domain theory is the mathematical theory underlying denotational semantics. This thesis presents a formalization of domain theory in the Higher Order Logic (HOL) theorem proving system along with a mechanization of proof functions and other tools to support reasoning about the denotations of functional programs. By providing a fixed point operator for functions on certain domains which have a special undefined (bottom) element, this extension of HOL supports the definition of recursive functions which are not also primitive recursive. Thus, it provides an approach to the long-standing and important problem of defining non-primitive recursive functions in the HOL system.<br /> <br />Our philosophy is that there must be a direct correspondence between elements of complete partial orders (domains) and elements of HOL types, in order to allow the reuse of higher order logic and proof infrastructure already available in the HOL system. Hence, we are able to mix domain theoretic reasoning with reasoning in the set theoretic HOL world to advantage, exploiting HOL types and tools directly. Moreover, by mixing domain and set theoretic reasoning, we are able to eliminate almost all reasoning about the bottom element of complete partial orders that makes the LCF theorem prover, which supports a first order logic of domain theory, difficult and tedious to use. A thorough comparison with LCF is provided.<br /> <br />The advantages of combining the best of the domain and set theoretic worlds in the same system are demonstrated in a larger example, showing the correctness of a unification algorithm. A major part of the proof is conducted in the set theoretic setting of higher order logic, and only at a late stage of the proof domain theory is introduced to give a recursive definition of the algorithm, which is not primitive recursive. Furthermore, a total well-founded recursive unification function can be defined easily in pure HOL by proving that the unification algorithm (defined in domain theory) always terminates; this proof is conducted by a non-trivial well-founded induction. In such applications, where non-primitive recursive HOL functions are defined via domain theory and a proof of termination, domain theory constructs only appear temporarily.