Calculi for interaction

Action structures have previously been proposed as an algebra for both the syntax and the semantics of interactive computation. Here, a class of concrete action structures calledaction calculi is identified, which can serve as a non-linear syntax for a wide variety of models of interactive behaviour. Each action in an action calculus is represented as an assembly ofmolecules; the syntactic binding ofnames is the means by which molecules are bound together. A graphical form,action graphs, is used to aid presentation. One action calculus differs from another only in its generators, calledcontrols. Action calculi generalise a previously defined action structure PIC for the π- calculus. Several extensions to PIC are given as action calculi, giving essentially the same power as the π-calculus. An action calculus is also given for the typed λ-calculus, and for Petri nets parametrized on their places and transitions. An equational characterization of action calculi is given: each action calculusA is the quotient of a term algebra by certain equations. The terms are generated by a set of operators, including those basic to all action structures as well as the controls specific toA; the equations are the basic axioms of action structures together with four additional axiom schemata.     

Finite-valued Semantics for Canonical Labelled Calculi

We define a general family of canonical labelled calculi, of which many previously studied sequent and labelled calculi are particular instances. We then provide a uniform and modular method to obtain finite-valued semantics for every canonical labelled calculus by introducing the notion of partial non-deterministic matrices. The semantics is applied to provide simple decidable semantic criteria for two crucial syntactic properties of these calculi: (strong) analyticity and cut-admissibility. Finally, we demonstrate an application of this framework for a large family of paraconsistent logics.     

On the Expressiveness of Chi, Update, and Fusion calculi

Chi and Update calculi [9,17] have been independently introduced in order to model mobile systems. The two calculi are very close to each other and represent an evolution of π-calculus [15]. More recently a (non-straightforward) polyadic version of the Update calculus, the Fusion calculus, has been proposed [18].In the paper we give a fully abstract encoding from an asynchronous variant of Chi and Update calculi to asynchronous π-calculus [11,4]. This proves that, at least for their asynchronous variants, Chi and Update calculi are not more expressive than π-calculus. A similar result can be proved for the Fusion calculus.     

Complexity of some problems in positive and related calculi

A problem of recognizing important properties of propositional calculi is considered, and complexity bounds for some decidable properties are found. For a given logical system L, a property P of logical calculi is called decidable over L if there is an algorithm which for any finite set Ax of new axiom schemes decides whether the calculus L+Ax has the property P or not. In Maksimova and Voronkov (Bull. Symbol. Logic 6 (2000) 118) the complexity of tabularity, pretabularity, and interpolation problems over the intuitionistic logic (Int) and over modal logic S4 was studied.In the present paper, positive and positively axiomatizable calculi are investigated. We prove NP-completeness of tabularity, DP-hardness of pretabularity and PSPACE-completeness of interpolation and projective Beth's property over the positive fragment Int⁺ of the intuitionistic logic. Some complexity bounds for properties of propositional calculi over the intuitionistic or the minimal logic are found.     

Calculi of meta-variables

The notion of meta-variable plays a fundamental role when we define formal systems such as logical and computational calculi. Yet it has been usually understood only informally as is seen in most textbooks of logic. Based on our observations of the usages of metavariables in textbooks, we propose two formal systems that have the notion of meta-variable. In both calculi, each variable is given a level (non-negative integer), which classifies variables into object variables (level 0), meta-variables (level 1), metameta-variables (level 2) and so on. Then, simple arity systems are used to exclude meaningless terms like a meta-level function operating on the metameta-level. A main difference of the two calculi lies in the definitions of substitution. The first calculus uses textual substitution, which can often be found in definitions of quantified formulae: when a term is substituted for a meta-variable, free object-level variables in the term may be captured. The second calculus is based on the observation that predicates can be regarded as meta-level functions on object-level terms, hence uses capture-avoiding substitution. We show that both calculi enjoy a number of properties including Church-Rosser and Strong Normalization, which are indispensable when we use them as frameworks to define logical systems.     

Resolution with Order and Selection for Hybrid Logics

We investigate labeled resolution calculi for hybrid logics with inference rules restricted via selection functions and orders. We start by providing a sound and refutationally complete calculus for the hybrid logic H(@,ˉ,A)\mathcal{H}(@,{\downarrow},\mathsf{A}), even under restrictions by selection functions and orders. Then, by imposing further restrictions in the original calculus, we develop a sound, complete and terminating calculus for the H(@)\mathcal{H}(@) sublanguage. The proof scheme we use to show refutational completeness of these calculi is an adaptation of a standard completeness proof for saturation-based calculi for first-order logic that guarantees completeness even under redundancy elimination. In fact, one of the contributions of this article is to show that the general framework of saturation-based proving for first-order logic with equality can be naturally adapted to saturation-based calculi for other languages, in particular modal and hybrid logics.     

Superposition-based Equality Handling for Analytic Tableaux

We present a variant of the basic ordered superposition rules to handle equality in an analytic free-variable tableau calculus. We prove completeness of this calculus by an adaptation of the model generation technique commonly used for completeness proofs of superposition in the context of resolution calculi. The calculi and the completeness proof are compared to earlier results of Degtyarev and Voronkov. Some variations and refinements are discussed.     

Calculi for interaction

Action structures have previously been proposed as an algebra for both the syntax and the semantics of interactive computation. Here, a class of concrete action structures called action calculi is identified, which can serve as a non-linear syntax for a wide variety of models of interactive behaviour. Each action in an action calculus is represented as an assembly of molecules; the syntactic binding of names is the means by which molecules are bound together. A graphical form, action graphs, is used to aid presentation. One action calculus differs from another only in its generators, called controls. Action calculi generalise a previously defined action structure for the -calculus. Several extensions to are given as action calculi, giving essentially the same power as the -calculus. An action calculus is also given for the typed -calculus, and for Petri nets parametrized on their places and transitions. An equational characterization of action calculi is given: each action calculus is the quotient of a term algebra by certain equations. The terms are generated by a set of operators, including those basic to all action structures as well as the controls specific to ; the equations are the basic axioms of action structures together with four additional axiom schemata. Received May 12, 1995 / August 7, 1995     

A Combined Superposition and Model Evolution Calculus

We present a new calculus for first-order theorem proving with equality, $ \mathcal{ME}+$ Sup, which generalizes both the Superposition calculus and the Model Evolution calculus (with equality) by integrating their inference rules and redundancy criteria in a non-trivial way. The main motivation is to combine the advantageous features of these two rather complementary calculi in a single framework. In particular, Model Evolution, as a lifted version of the propositional DPLL procedure, contributes a non-ground splitting rule that effectively permits to split a clause into non variable disjoint subclauses. In the paper we present the calculus in detail. Our main result is its completeness under semantically justified redundancy criteria and simplification rules. We also show how under certain assumptions the model representation computed by a (finite and fair) derivation can be queried in an effective way.     

Asynchronous sequential processes

Deterministic behavior for parallel and distributed computation is rather difficult to ensure. To reach that goal, many formal calculi, languages, and techniques with well-defined semantics have been proposed in the past. But none of them focused on an imperative object calculus with asynchronous communications and futures. In this article, an object calculus, Asynchronous Sequential Processes (ASP), is defined, with its semantics. We prove also confluence properties for the ASP calculus. ASPs main characteristics are asynchronous communications with futures, and sequential execution within each process. This paper provides a very general and dynamic property ensuring confluence. Further, more specific and static properties are derived. Additionally, we present a formalization of distributed components based on ASP, and show how such components are used to statically ensure determinacy. This paper can also be seen as a formalization of the concept of futures in a distributed object setting.     

On the expressive power of movement and restriction in pure mobile ambients

Pure mobile ambients is a process calculus suitable to focus on issues related to mobility, abstracting away from aspects concerning process communication. However, it incorporates name restriction (i.e. the (νn) binder) and ambient movement (i.e. the in and out capabilities) that can be seen as characteristics adapted, or directly borrowed, from the tradition of communication-based process calculi. For this reason, we retain that it is worth to investigate whether or not these features can be removed from pure mobile ambients without losing expressive power.To this aim, we consider two variants of pure mobile ambients which differ in the way infinite processes can be defined; the former exploits process replication, while the latter is more general and permits recursive process definition. We analyse whether or not the elimination of ambient movement and/or name restriction reduces the expressive power of these two calculi, using the decidability of process termination as a yardstick. We prove that name restriction can be removed from both calculi without reducing the expressive power. On the other hand, the elimination of both ambient movement and name restriction strictly reduces the expressive power of both calculi. As far as the elimination of only ambient movement is concerned, we prove an interesting discrimination result: process termination is undecidable under recursive process definition, while it turns out to be decidable under process replication.     

On Explicit Substitution with Names

This paper recounts the origins of the ??x family of calculi of explicit substitution with proper variable names, including the original result of preservation of strong ??-normalization based on the use of synthetic reductions for garbage collection. We then discuss the properties of a variant of the calculus which is also confluent for ??open?? terms (with meta-variables), and verify that a version with garbage collection preserves strong ??-normalization (as is the state of the art), and we summarize the relationship with other efforts on using names and garbage collection rules in explicit substitution.     

Linear and unit-resulting refutations for Horn theories

We present a new transformation method by which a given Horn theory is transformed in such a way that resolution derivations can be carried out which are both linear (in the sense of Prologs SLD-resolution) and unit-resulting (i.e the resolvents are unit clauses). This is not trivial since although both strategies alone are complete, their naïve combination is not. Completeness is recovered by our method through a completion procedure in the spirit of Knuth-Bendix completion, however with different ordering criteria. A powerful redundancy criterion helps to find a finite system quite often. The transformed theory can be used in combination with linear calculi such as e.g. (theory) model elimination to yield sound, complete and efficient calculi for full first order clause logic over the given Horn theory. As an example application, our method discovers a generalization of the well-known linear paramodulation calculus for the combined theory of equality and strict orderings. The method has been implemented and has been tested in conjunction with a model elimination theorem prover.     

Algebraic Theories for Name-Passing Calculi

In a theory of processes the names are atomic data items which can be exchanged and tested for identify. A well-known example of a calculus for name-passing is the π-calculus, where names are additionally used as communication ports. We provide complete axiomatisations of late and early bisimulation equivalences in such calculi. Since neither of the equivalences is a congruence we also axiomatise the corresponding largest congruences. We consider a few variations of the signature of the language; among these, a calculus of deterministic processes which is reminiscent of sequential functional programs with a conditional construct. Most of our axioms are shown to be independent. The axiom systems differ only by a few simple axioms and reveal the similarities and the symmetries of the calculi and the equivalences.     

Eliminability of cut in hypersequent calculi for some modal logics of linear frames

Hypersequent calculi, introduced independently by Pottinger and Avron, provide a powerful generalization of ordinary sequent calculi. In the paper we present a proof of eliminability of cut in hypersequent calculi for three modal logics of linear frames: K4.3, KD4.3 and S4.3. Our cut-free calculus is based on Avron's HC formalization for Gödel–Dummett's logic. The presented proof of eliminability of cut is purely syntactical and based on Ciabattoni, Metcalfe, Montagna's proof of eliminability of cut for hypersequent calculi for some fuzzy logics with modalities.     

Shallow Linear Action Graphs and their Embeddings

Action calculi, which generalise process calculi such as Petri nets, π-calculusand ambient calculus, have been presented in terms of action graphs. We here offer linear action graphs as a primitive basis for action calculi. This paper presents the category of embeddings of undirected linear action graphs without nesting, using a novel form of graphical reasoning which simplifies some otherwise complex manipulations in regular algebra. The results are adapted in a few lines to directed graphs. This work is part of a long-term search for a uniform behavioural theory for process calculi. Received October 2000 / Accepted in revised form April 2001