Logipedia: a multi-system encyclopedia of formal proofs (2305.00064v1)

Abstract: Libraries of formal proofs are an important part of our mathematical heritage, but their usability and sustainability is poor. Indeed, each library is specific to a proof system, sometimes even to some version of this system. Thus, a library developed in one system cannot, in general, be used in another and when the system is no more maintained, the library may be lost. This impossibility of using a proof developed in one system in another has been noted for long and a remediation has been proposed: as we have empirical evidence that most of the formal proofs developed in one of these systems can also be developed in another, we can develop a standard language, in which these proofs can be translated, and then used in all systems supporting this standard. Logipedia is an attempt to build such a multi-system online encyclopedia of formal proofs expressed in such as standard language. It is based on two main ideas: the use of a logical framework and of reverse mathematics.