Driven by the question, 'What is the computational content of a (formal) proof?', this book studies fundamental interactions between proof theory and computability. It provides a unique self-contained text for advanced students and researchers in mathematical logic and computer science. Part I covers basic proof theory, computability and Goedel's theorems. Part II studies and classifies provable recursion in classical systems, from fragments of Peano arithmetic up to 11-CA0. Ordinal analysis and the (Schwichtenberg-Wainer) subrecursive hierarchies play a central role and are used in proving the 'modified finite Ramsey' and 'extended Kruskal' independence results for PA and 11-CA0. Part III develops the theoretical underpinnings of the first author's proof assistant MINLOG. Three chapters cover higher-type computability via information systems, a constructive theory TCF of computable functionals, realizability, Dialectica interpretation, computationally significant quantifiers and connectives and polytime complexity in a two-sorted, higher-type arithmetic with linear logic.

This major graduate-level text provides a detailed, self-contained coverage of proof theory.

About the Author
Helmut Schwichtenberg is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen. He has recently developed the 'proof-assistant' MINLOG, a computer-implemented logic system for proof/program development and extraction of computational content. Stanley S. Wainer is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Leeds and a past-President of the British Logic Colloquium.

Reviews
"Written by two leading practitioners in the area of formal logic, the book provides a panoramic view of the topic. This reference volume is a must for the bookshelf of every practitioner of formal logic and computer science." Prahladavaradan Sampath, Computing Reviews



Book Information
ISBN 9780521517690
Author Helmut Schwichtenberg
Format Hardback
Page Count 480
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 860g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 160mm * 30mm