Abstract

The Hybrid system (Ambler et al., 2002b), implemented within Isabelle/HOL, allows object logics to be represented using higher order abstract syntax (HOAS), and reasoned about using tactical theorem proving in general and principles of (co)induction in particular. The form of HOAS provided by Hybrid is essentially a lambda calculus with constants. Of fundamental interest is the form of the lambda abstractions provided by Hybrid. The user has the convenience of writing lambda abstractions using names for the binding variables. However each abstraction is actually a definition of a de Bruijn expression, and Hybrid can unwind the user’s abstractions (written with names) to machine friendly de Bruijn expressions (without names). In this sense the formal system contains a hybrid of named and nameless bound variable notation. In this paper, we present a formal theory in a logical framework which can be viewed as a model of core Hybrid, and state and prove that the model is representationally adequate for HOAS. In particular, it is the canonical translation function from λ-expressions to Hybrid that witnesses adequacy. We also prove two results that characterise how Hybrid represents certain classes of λ-expressions. The Hybrid system contains a number of different syntactic classes of expression, and associated abstraction mechanisms. Hence this paper also aims to provide a self-contained theoretical introduction to both the syntax and key ideas of the system; background in automated theorem proving is not essential, although this paper will be of considerable interest to those who wish to work with Hybrid in Isabelle/HOL.

Citations