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We present the linear type theory LLF as the forAppeared in the proceedings of the Eleventh Annual IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science --- LICS'96 (E. Clarke editor), pp. 264--275, New Brunswick, NJ, July 27--30 1996. mal basis for a conservative extension of the LF logical framework. LLF combines the expressive power of dependent types with linear logic to permit the natural and concise representation of a whole new class of deductive systems, namely those dealing with state. As an example we encode a version of Mini-ML with references including its type system, its operational semantics, and a proof of type preservation. Another example is the encoding of a sequent calculus for classical linear logic and its cut elimination theorem. LLF can also be given an operational interpretation as a logic programming language under which the representations above can be used for type inference, evaluation and cut-elimination. 1 Introduction A logical framework is a formal system desig...

Structural Operational Semantics (SOS) provides a framework to give an operational semantics to programming and specification languages, which, because of its intuitive appeal and flexibility, has found considerable application in the theory of concurrent processes. Even though SOS is widely used in programming language semantics at large, some of its most interesting theoretical developments have taken place within concurrency theory. In particular, SOS has been successfully applied as a formal tool to establish results that hold for whole classes of process description languages. The concept of rule format has played a major role in the development of this general theory of process description languages, and several such formats have been proposed in the research literature. This chapter presents an exposition of existing rule formats, and of the rich body of results that are guaranteed to hold for any process description language whose SOS is within one of these formats. As far as possible, the theory is developed for SOS with features like predicates and negative premises.

In 1933 G odel introduced a calculus of provability (also known as modal logic S4) and left open the question of its exact intended semantics. In this paper we give a solution to this problem. We find the logic LP of propositions and proofs and show that G odel's provability calculus is nothing but the forgetful projection of LP. This also achieves G odel's objective of defining intuitionistic propositional logic Int via classical proofs and provides a Brouwer-Heyting-Kolmogorov style provability semantics for Int which resisted formalization since the early 1930s. LP may be regarded as a unified underlying structure for intuitionistic, modal logics, typed combinatory logic and #-calculus.

In computer science we speak of implementing a logic; this is done in a programming language, such as Lisp, called here the implementation language. We also reason about the logic, as in understanding how to search for proofs; these arguments are expressed in the metalanguage and conducted in the metalogic of the object language being implemented. We also reason about the implementation itself, say to know it is correct; this is done in a programming logic. How do all these logics relate? This paper considers that question and more. We show that by taking the view that the metalogic is primary, these other parts are related in standard ways. The metalogic should be suitably rich so that the object logic can be presented as an abstract data type, and it must be suitably computational (or constructive) so that an instance of that type is an implementation. The data type abstractly encodes all that is relevant for metareasoning, i.e., not only the term constructing functions but also the...

: Our ultimate goal is to provide a framework and a methodology which will allow users, and not only system developers, to construct complex reasoning systems by composing existing modules, or to add new modules to existing systems, in a "plug and play" manner. These modules and systems might be based on different logics; have different domain models; use different vocabularies and data structures; use different reasoning strategies; and have different interaction capabilities. This paper makes two main contributions towards our goal. First, it proposes a general architecture for a class of reasoning systems called Open Mechanized Reasoning Systems (OMRSs). An OMRS has three components: a reasoning theory component which is the counterpart of the logical notion of formal system, a control component which consists of a set of inference strategies, and an interaction component which provides an OMRS with the capability of interacting with other systems, including OMRSs and hum...

One way to ensure correctness of the inference performed by computer theorem provers is to force all proofs to be done step by step in a simple, more or less traditional, deductive system. Using techniques pioneered in Edinburgh LCF, this can be made palatable. However, some believe such an approach will never be efficient enough for large, complex proofs. One alternative, commonly called reflection, is to analyze proofs using a second layer of logic, a metalogic, and so justify abbreviating or simplifying proofs, making the kinds of shortcuts humans often do or appealing to specialized decision algorithms. In this paper we contrast the fully-expansive LCF approach with the use of reflection. We put forward arguments to suggest that the inadequacy of the LCF approach has not been adequately demonstrated, and neither has the practical utility of reflection (notwithstanding its undoubted intellectual interest). The LCF system with which we are most concerned is the HOL proof ...

This thesis describes substantial enhancements that were made to the software tools in the Nuprl system that are used to interactively guide the production of formal proofs. Over 20,000 lines of code were written for these tools. Also, a corpus of formal mathematics was created that consists of roughly 500 definitions and 1300 theorems. Much of this material is of a foundational nature and supports all current work in Nuprl. This thesis concentrates on describing the half of this corpus that is concerned with abstract algebra and that covers topics central to the mathematics of the co...

This thesis is primarily about the design of formal programming environments for building large software systems. This work articulates two principles and uses them to guide the design, implementation, and study of a specific formal programming environment. First, design methods for large software systems will include multiple languages, methodologies, and refinement techniques that are suited to problem subdomains. This means that any formal system must provide the ability to define multiple logics, and it is by definition a logical framework. Second, the framework must provide the ability to express formal relations between logical theories to address the problem of system decomposition. This thesis also presents the the MetaPRL formal system. MetaPRL was built to provide a modular, abstract logical framework where multiple designs can be expressed and related. The MetaPRL design builds on our experience with logical frameworks and with structured programming concepts like inheritance and re-use to provide an efficient, highly abstract, logical machine. The contribution includes several parts. • The development of an untyped meta-logic using explicit substitution. • The definition of a very-dependent function type in the Nuprl type theory. • A system architecture for generic multi-logical development. • A generic refiner that provides automation and enforcement for the multiple logical theories in logical environment. • A module system for logics and theories. • A generic distributed interactive theorem prover. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Jason Jonathan Hickey was born in 1963 in a small town called Delano in the heart of California’s central San Jaoquin valley. Jason’s early experiences included the fulfillment of various agricultural obligations with

We set up a formal framework to describe transition system specifications in the style of Plotkin. This framework has the power to express many-sortedness, general binding mechanisms and substitutions, among other notions such as negative hypotheses and unary predicates on terms. The framework is used to present a conservativity format in operational semantics, which states sufficient criteria to ensure that the extension of a transition system specification with new transition rules does not affect the semantics of the original terms.