English

Guarded Computational Type Theory

Logic in Computer Science 2021-04-20 v1

Abstract

Nakano's later modality can be used to specify and define recursive functions which are causal or synchronous; in concert with a notion of clock variable, it is possible to also capture the broader class of productive (co)programs. Until now, it has been difficult to combine these constructs with dependent types in a way that preserves the operational meaning of type theory and admits a hierarchy of universes. We present an operational account of guarded dependent type theory with clocks called Guarded Computational Type Theory, featuring a novel clock intersection connective that enjoys the clock irrelevance principle, as well as a predicative hierarchy of universes which does not require any indexing in clock contexts. Guarded Computational Type Theory is simultaneously a programming language with a rich specification logic, as well as a computational metalanguage that can be used to develop semantics of other languages and logics.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1804.09098,
  title  = {Guarded Computational Type Theory},
  author = {Jonathan Sterling and Robert Harper},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1804.09098},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

To appear in LICS 2018

R2 v1 2026-06-23T01:34:11.521Z