Extending a first order predicate calculus with partially defined iota terms
Vernaeve, Geert ; Hoogewijs, Albert
Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. Simon Stevin, Tome 13 (2007) no. 5, p. 917-930 / Harvested from Project Euclid
Partial functions and "undefinedness" have been around in mathematics for a long time, without causing any trouble. It was only when mathematics and computer science met in projects on ``automatization'' of formal reasoning that some problems came up [Hoogewijs 1987]. Where humans are able to avoid the application of a partial function on an argument outside ``the domain'' of the function, formalizing the rules for this activity seems to be less trivial. In [Farmer 1996] Farmer states that there does not exist a consensus on how partial functions should be mechanized and the developer of a mechanized mathematics system must choose among many different possible ways of representing and reasoning about partial functions. We want to add one more possibility by introducing ``partially defined iota terms'' of the form $\iota x_\psi(\varphi)$ which represents the unique $x$ satisfying $\varphi$ whenever the condition $\psi$ is fulfilled. We present an extension of a two-valued first order sequent calculus for predicate logic with identity [Hermes 1973], where we are able to reason correctly about partially defined iota terms.
Publié le : 2007-01-14
Classification:  Mechanisation of proofs,  sequent calculus,  partial functions,  undefinedness,  03B35
@article{1170347814,
     author = {Vernaeve, Geert and Hoogewijs, Albert},
     title = {Extending a first order predicate calculus with partially defined iota terms},
     journal = {Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. Simon Stevin},
     volume = {13},
     number = {5},
     year = {2007},
     pages = { 917-930},
     language = {en},
     url = {http://dml.mathdoc.fr/item/1170347814}
}
Vernaeve, Geert; Hoogewijs, Albert. Extending a first order predicate calculus with partially defined iota terms. Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. Simon Stevin, Tome 13 (2007) no. 5, pp.  917-930. http://gdmltest.u-ga.fr/item/1170347814/