A theory of linear typings as flows on 3-valent graphs

DOI10.1145/3209108.3209121zbMATH Open1453.03012arXiv1804.10540OpenAlexW2964225259MaRDI QIDQ5145371FDOQ5145371

Noam Zeilberger

Publication date: 20 January 2021

Published in: Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM/IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Building on recently established enumerative connections between lambda calculus and the theory of embedded graphs (or "maps"), this paper develops an analogy between typing (of lambda terms) and coloring (of maps). Our starting point is the classical notion of an abelian group-valued "flow" on an abstract graph (Tutte, 1954). Typing a linear lambda term may be naturally seen as constructing a flow (on an embedded 3-valent graph with boundary) valued in a more general algebraic structure consisting of a preordered set equipped with an "implication" operation and unit satisfying composition, identity, and unit laws. Interesting questions and results from the theory of flows (such as the existence of nowhere-zero flows) may then be re-examined from the standpoint of lambda calculus and logic. For example, we give a characterization of when the local flow relations (across vertices) may be categorically lifted to a global flow relation (across the boundary), proving that this holds just in case the underlying map has the orientation of a lambda term. We also develop a basic theory of rewriting of flows that suggests topological meanings for classical completeness results in combinatory logic, and introduce a polarized notion of flow, which draws connections to the theory of proof-nets in linear logic and to bidirectional typing.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1804.10540

zbMATH Keywords

graph theorylinear logicnowhere-zero flowslambda calculus and combinatory logicskew-closed categories

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Flows in graphs (05C21) Combinatory logic and lambda calculus (03B40) Proof-theoretic aspects of linear logic and other substructural logics (03F52) Closed categories (closed monoidal and Cartesian closed categories, etc.) (18D15)

Cited In (3)

• Eilenberg-Kelly reloaded
• Bijections between planar maps and planar linear normal \(\lambda\)-terms with connectivity condition
• Proof Theory of Partially Normal Skew Monoidal Categories

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