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NATURAL DEDUCTION AS HIGHER-ORDER RESOLUTION

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

PAULSON, LC 

Abstract

An interactive theorem prover, Isabelle, is under development. In LCF, each inference rule is represented by one function for forwards proof and another (a tactic) for backwards proof. In Isabelle, each inference rule is represented by a Horn clause. Resolution gives both forwards and backwards proof, supporting a large class of logics. Isabelle has been used to prove theorems in Martin-L"of's Constructive Type Theory. Quantifiers pose several difficulties: substitution, bound variables, Skolemization. Isabelle's representation of logical syntax is the typed lambda-calculus, requiring higher- order unification. It may have potential for logic programming. Depth-first subgoaling along inference rules constitutes a higher-order Prolog.

Description

Keywords

cs.LO, cs.LO, D.2.4; F.3.1; F.4.1

Journal Title

J LOGIC PROGRAM

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0743-1066

Volume Title

3

Publisher

Elsevier BV