String Diagrams for Layered Explanations

DOI10.4204/EPTCS.380.21MaRDI QIDQ6150168zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Fabio Zanasi

Publication date 5 March 2024

Published in Electronic Proceedings in Theoretical Computer Science (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2207.03929

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Computer science (68-XX)

Abstract: We propose a categorical framework to reason about scientific explanations: descriptions of a phenomenon meant to translate it into simpler terms, or into a context that has been already understood. Our motivating examples come from systems biology, electrical circuit theory, and concurrency. We demonstrate how three explanatory models in these seemingly diverse areas can be all understood uniformly via a graphical calculus of layered props. Layered props allow for a compact visual presentation of the same phenomenon at different levels of precision, as well as the translation between these levels. Notably, our approach allows for partial explanations, that is, for translating just one part of a diagram while keeping the rest of the diagram untouched. Furthermore, our approach paves the way for formal reasoning about counterfactual models in systems biology.

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Cites work

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2125662 (Why is no real title available?)
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• A calculus of communicating systems
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• Categorical algebra
• Functorial Boxes in String Diagrams
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Cited in

(1)

• A categorical approach to synthetic chemistry

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