Richard Blute

Bisimulation for labelled Markov processes

In this paper we introduce a new class of labelled transition systems-Labelled Markov Processes-and define bisimulation for them. Labelled Markov processes are probabilistic labelled transition systems where the state space is not necessarily discrete, it could be the reals, for example. We assume that it is a Polish space (the underlying topological space for a complete separable metric space). The mathematical theory of such systems is completely new from the point of view of the extant literature on probabilistic process algebra; of course, it uses classical ideas from measure theory and Markov process theory. The notion of bisimulation builds on the ideas of Larsen and Skou and of Joyal, Nielsen and Winskel. The main result that we prove is that a notion of bisimulation for Markov processes on Polish spaces, which extends the Larsen-Skou definition for discrete systems, is indeed an equivalence relation. This turns our to be a rather hard mathematical result which, as far as we know, embodies a new result in pure probability theory. This work heavily uses continuous mathematics which is becoming an important part of work on hybrid systems.

Natural deduction and coherence for weakly distributive categories

Abstract This paper examines coherence for certain monoidal categories using techniques coming from the proof theory of linear logic, in particular making heavy use of the graphical techniques of proof nets. We define a two sided notion of proof net, suitable for categories like weakly distributive categories which have the two-tensor structure ( times/par ) of linear logic, but lack a negation operator. Representing morphisms in weakly distributive categories as such nets, we derive a coherence theorem for such categories. As part of this process, we develop a theory of expansion-reduction systems with equalities and a term calculus for proof nets, each of which is of independent interest. In the symmetric case the expansion-reduction system on the term calculus yields a decision procedure for the equality of maps for free weakly distributive categories. The main results of this paper are these. First we have proved coherence for the full theory of weakly distributive categories, extending similar results for monoidal categories to include the treatment of the tensor units. Second, we extend these coherence results to the full theory of ∗-autonomous categories — providing a decision procedure for the maps of free symmetric ∗-autonomous categories. Third, we derive a conservative extension result for the passage from weakly distributive categories to ∗-autonomous categories. We show strong categorical conservativity, in the sense that the unit of the adjunction between weakly distributive and ∗-autonomous categories is fully faithful.

Linear logic, coherence and dinaturality

A general coherence theorem for monoidal closed structures is obtained by modifying the logical approach to coherence questions, due to Lambek [1969, 1990] by making use of linear logic. Linear logic, introduced by Girard, has many advantages which are of use in studying coherence. Most notably, its resource-sensitive nature makes it ideal for studying monoidal closed structures. The logical approach is also modified by using natural deduction rather than sequent calculus. The natural deduction system in question is proof nets, also introduced by Girard. Proof nets have several important properties which are exploited to prove the coherence theorem. In particular, the cut elimination procedure is confluent and strongly normalizing. The approach to coherence is to define a general structure, the autonomous deductive system, for defining many theories of monoidal closed categories. An autonomous deductive system is a deductive system with several added features, which are suggested by the properties of proof nets. It is then possible to give a straightforward criterion for whether a given theory of monoidal closed categories, specified by an autonomous deductive system, is coherent. Finally, a relationship is established between coherence and the composition problem for dinatural transformations. Thus, the dinatural approach to modelling polymorphic types, due to Bainbridge et al. [1990], can be extended to linear polymorphism.

Category theory for linear logicians

This paper presents an introduction to category theory with an emphasis on those aspects relevant to the analysis of the model theory of linear logic. With this in mind, we focus on the basic definitions of category theory and categorical logic. An analysis of cartesian and cartesian closed categories and their relation to intuitionistic logic is followed by a consideration of symmetric monoidal closed, linearly distributive and ∗-autonomous categories and their relation to multiplicative linear logic. We examine nonsymmetric monoidal categories, and consider them as models of noncommutative linear logic. We introduce traced monoidal categories, and discuss their relation to the geometry of interaction. The necessary aspects of the theory of monads is introduced in order to describe the categorical modelling of the exponentials. We conclude by briefly describing the notion of full completeness, a strong form of categorical completeness, which originated in the categorical model theory of linear logic. No knowledge of category theory is assumed, but we do assume knowledge of linear logic sequent calculus and the standard models of linear logic, and modest familiarity with typed lambda calculus.

Linear Läuchli semantics

Abstract We introduce a linear analogue of Lauchlis semantics for intuitionistic logic. In fact, our result is a strengthening of Lauchlis work to the level of proofs, rather than provability. This is obtained by considering continuous actions of the additive group of integers on a category of topological vector spaces. The semantics, based on functorial polymorphism, consists of dinatural transformations which are equivariant with respect to all such actions. Such dinatural transformations are called uniform. To any sequent in Multiplicative Linear Logic (MLL), we associate a vector space of“diadditive” uniform transformations. We then show that this space is generated by denotations of cut-free proofs of the sequent in the theory MLL + MIX. Thus we obtain a full completeness theorem in the sense of Abramsky and Jagadeesan, although our result differs from theirs in the use of dinatural transformations. As corollaries, we show that these dinatural transformations compose, and obtain a conservativity result: diadditive dinatural transformations which are uniform with respect to actions of the additive group of integers are also uniform with respect to the actions of arbitrary cocommutative Hopf algebras. Finally, we discuss several possible extensions of this work to noncommutative logic. It is well known that the intuitionistic version of Lauchlis semantics is a special case of the theory of logical relations, due to Plotkin and Statman. Thus, our work can also be viewed as a first step towards developing a theory of logical relations for linear logic and concurrency.

Differential categories

Following work of Ehrhard and Regnier, we introduce the notion of a differential category: an additive symmetric monoidal category with a comonad (a ‘coalgebra modality’) and a differential combinator satisfying a number of coherence conditions. In such a category one should imagine the morphisms in the base category as being linear maps and the morphisms in the coKleisli category as being smooth (infinitely differentiable). Although such categories do not necessarily arise from models of linear logic, one should think of this as replacing the usual dichotomy of linear vs. stable maps established for coherence spaces.After establishing the basic axioms, we give a number of examples. The most important example arises from a general construction, a comonad

Discrete Quantum Causal Dynamics

S_\infty

Softness of hypercoherences and MALL full completeness

on the category of vector spaces. This comonad and associated differential operators fully capture the usual notion of derivatives of smooth maps. Finally, we derive additional properties of differential categories in certain special cases, especially when the comonad is a storage modality, as in linear logic. In particular, we introduce the notion of a categorical model of the differential calculus, and show that it captures the not-necessarily-closed fragment of Ehrhard–Regnier differential

Feedback for linearly distributive categories: traces and fixpoints

\lambda

Categories for computation in context and unified logic

-calculus.