Questions tagged [terminology]
For questions about words, phrases and definitions that are specific to proof assistants.
15 questions
5
votes
1
answer
583
views
Why are dependent sums and products called sums and products?
The immediate impetus for this is watching this video by Mario Carneiro; around the 8:05 mark he mentions dependent type theory. That reminded me of a question I first had years ago about why ...
- 3,561
2
votes
0
answers
85
views
Formally verified email or communication?
This question is contextualized by having an account hacked which is prompting me to move towards something I’ve long wanted to anyway.
I would like to consider the simplest possible formally verified ...
3
votes
1
answer
166
views
What's the difference between a computation rule and a definitional equality?
In http://www.cse.chalmers.se/~coquand/comp.pdf, Coquand said:
One important point is that we cannot hope this computation rule to be interpreted as a definitional equality, since reflexivity is not ...
- 6,532
5
votes
1
answer
167
views
What is a 'truncation'?
I've heard of many truncations in homotopy type theory, like propositional truncation, homotopy n-truncation, etc., and I think I understand these specific concepts.
People also talk about 'double-...
- 6,532
3
votes
1
answer
144
views
Difference between implementation and formalisation in a proof assistant
Some authors refer to their works as "implementation of the theory in (let's say) Agda", some refer as "formalization of the theory in Agda". What is the difference between them?
- 176
5
votes
1
answer
331
views
What is a weak function space and what does it have to do with HOAS?
What is a weak function space and what does it have to do with higher order abstract syntax?
I mean I know what a weak function space is. It's that thing you use for HOAS in Lambda Prolog or toolkits ...
- 2,898
6
votes
2
answers
261
views
Does ST$\lambda$C equal to simple type theory?
Is "simple type theory" a folklore, or does it have a formal definition? On nlab, it's only discussed "practically":
In practice any type theory is called a simple type theory if ...
- 6,532
7
votes
0
answers
93
views
What is focusing and how do I use it?
I have heard the term "focusing" with respect to the sequent calculus (System LK) and related calculi like the $\bar{\lambda} \mu \tilde{\mu}$-calculus. What is focusing and how do I use it?
...
- 2,898
10
votes
2
answers
201
views
What's "predicative" about pC(u)IC?
Timany and Sozeau's Predicative Calculus of Cumulative Inductive Constructions (pCuIC) [1] adds extra cumulativity to the inductive types of (Lee and Werner's [2], I think?) pCIC. But what does the &...
- 1,026
13
votes
2
answers
668
views
What is a commuting conversion and why are they problematic?
Off and on I have heard of the jargon "commuting conversion" but I don't really know what it means.
I've heard commuting conversions are problematic but I don't know why.
- 2,898
10
votes
0
answers
321
views
What's "Swedish" style of doing type theory or proof assistants?
Jon Sterling said Conor McBride's universe polymorphism proposal to be:
seems to have worked well in Swedish experiments
I wonder, what does "Swedish" mean here? What kind of type theory ...
- 6,532
30
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is an algebraic data type?
When I first learned Haskell, I was told that you use data keyword to define an "algebraic data type", or a "sum type". Then I learned the idea ...
- 6,532
9
votes
1
answer
130
views
How did the meaning of "lifting" in proof assistants arise?
In topology, the notion of "lifting" has a quite a long history, starting with the theory of covering spaces, where the classic example is that if you take an outdoor spiral staircase, $S$ ...
- 367
4
votes
1
answer
241
views
What is an eliminator?
What is an eliminator?
Are there any differences between an eliminator and an elimination form (such as $\pi_1$ and $\pi_2$ for binary products)?
Does every type have exactly one?
Is the type of the ...
- 3,561
19
votes
3
answers
1k
views
What is a Proof Assistant?
How would you explain to a beginner in simple terms, what a Proof Assistant is?
- 1,348