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Predicate transformers for extended probability and non-determinism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

KLAUS KEIMEL  and
GORDON D. PLOTKIN
KLAUS KEIMEL
Affiliation:
Fachbereich Mathematik, Technische Universität, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
GORDON D. PLOTKIN
Affiliation:
School of Informatics, LFCS, University of Edinburgh, Edingburgh EH8 9AB, U.K.
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Abstract

We investigate laws for predicate transformers for the combination of non-deterministic choice and (extended) probabilistic choice, where predicates are taken to be functions to the extended non-negative reals, or to closed intervals of such reals. These predicate transformers correspond to state transformers, which are functions to conical powerdomains, which are the appropriate powerdomains for the combined forms of non-determinism. As with standard powerdomains for non-deterministic choice, these come in three flavours – lower, upper and (order-)convex – so there are also three kinds of predicate transformers. In order to make the connection, the powerdomains are first characterised in terms of relevant classes of functionals.

Much of the development is carried out at an abstract level, a kind of domain-theoretic functional analysis: one considers d-cones, which are dcpos equipped with a module structure over the non-negative extended reals, in place of topological vector spaces. Such a development still needs to be carried out for probabilistic choice per se; it would presumably be necessary to work with a notion of convex space rather than a cone.

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Type
Paper
Information
Mathematical Structures in Computer Science , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , June 2009 , pp. 501 - 539
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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