NICTA
Australian National University
This work describes the proof and uses of a theorem allowing definition of recursive functions over the type of λ-calculus terms, where terms with bound variables are identified up to α-equivalence. The theorem embodies what is effectively a principle of primitive recursion, and the analogues of this theorem for other types with binders are clear. The theorem’s side-conditions require that the putative definition be well-behaved with respect to fresh name generation and name permutation. A number of examples over the type of λ-calculus terms illustrate the use of the new principle.
@inproceedings{Norrish_04, publisher = {Springer}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-540-30142-4_18}, month = sep, slides = {https://trustworthy.systems/publications/nicta_slides/6610.pdf}, paperurl = {https://trustworthy.systems/publications/nicta_full_text/6610.pdf}, booktitle = {International Conference on Theorem Proving in Higher Order Logics}, year = {2004}, editor = {{Konrad Slind and Annette Bunker and Ganesh Gopalakrishnan}}, title = {Recursive Function Definition for Types with Binders}, pages = {241---256}, author = {Norrish, Michael}, address = {Park City, Utah, United States} }