Internalizing Parametricity
Doctoral thesis, 2016

Parametricity results have recently been proved for dependently-typed calculi such as the Calculus of Constructions. However these results are meta theorems, and although the theorems can be stated as internal propositions, they cannot be proved internally. In this thesis, we develop a dependent type-theory in which each instance of the parametricity theorem, including those for open terms, can be proved internally. For instance we can prove inside the system that each term of type (X : *) -> X -> X is an identity. We show three successive proposals for a solution to this problem, each an improvement of the previous one. In the first one we introduce a dependent type theory with special syntax for hypercubes. In the second proposal we outline a colored type theory, which provides a simplification of the type theory with hypercubes. In the third and final proposal, we give a more definite presentation of the colored type theory. We also prove its consistency by a modification of the presheaf model of dependent type theory. We believe that our final colored type theory is simple enough to provide a basis for a proof assistant where proofs relying on parametricity can be performed internally.

Type structure

Presheaf Model

Parametricity

Lambda Calculus

Polymorphism

EB
Opponent: Tarmo Uustalu

Author

Guilhem Moulin

Chalmers, Computer Science and Engineering (Chalmers), Computing Science (Chalmers)

A Computational Interpretation of Parametricity

IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science. 27th Annual ACM/IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science (LICS), Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 25-28, 2012,; (2012)p. 135-144

Paper in proceeding

Type-Theory In Color

SIGPLAN Notices (ACM Special Interest Group on Programming Languages),; Vol. 48(2013)p. 61-71

Journal article

A Presheaf Model of Parametric Type Theory

Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science,; Vol. 319(2015)p. 67-82

Journal article

Subject Categories

Computer Science

ISBN

978-91-7597-384-5

Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 4065

EB

Opponent: Tarmo Uustalu

More information

Created

10/7/2017