nLab axiom of set truncation

Idea

In dependent type theory, an axiom of set truncation is a axiom or unjustified rule which implies the uniqueness of identity proofs which states that every type is an h-set. Adding an axiom of set truncation to a dependent type theory results in a set-level type theory.

Examples

TODO: show that each of the axioms below implies the uniqueness of identity proofs.

Uniqueness of identity proofs

For identification types

In dependent type theory, uniqueness of identity proofs for identification types is given by the following rule:

$$\frac{\Gamma \vdash A \; type \quad \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b) \quad \Gamma \vdash q:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b)}{\Gamma \vdash \mathrm{UIP}_A(a, b, p, q):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b)}(p, q)}$$

For heterogeneous identification types

There is uniqueness of identity proofs for heterogeneous identification types:

$$\frac{ \begin{array}{l} \Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma \vdash B \; \mathrm{type} \\ \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b) \quad \Gamma \vdash y:B \quad \Gamma \vdash z:B \\ \Gamma \vdash q:\mathrm{hId}_{B}(a, b, p, y, z) \quad \Gamma \vdash r:\mathrm{hId}_{B}(a, b, p, y, z) \end{array} }{\Gamma \vdash \mathrm{UIP}_{B}(a, b, p, y, z, q, r):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathrm{hId}_{B}(a, b, p, y, z)}(q, r)}$$

Uniqueness of identity proofs for identification types follows from uniqueness of identity proofs for heterogeneous identification types by taking canonical element $\mathrm{pt}:\mathbb{1}$ of the unit type $\mathbb{1}$, identification $\mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt})$, and elements $a:A$ and $b:A$. Since the following two types are equivalent:

$$\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, b) \simeq \mathrm{hId}_{A}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$$

and because $\mathrm{hId}_{A}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$ is always a mere proposition by uniqueness of identity proofs for heterogeneous identification types, it follows that $\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, b)$ is also always a mere proposition.

Similarly, there is also uniqueness of identity proofs for dependent heterogeneous identification types:

$$\frac{ \begin{array}{l} \Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma, x:A \vdash B(x) \; \mathrm{type} \\ \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b) \quad \Gamma \vdash y:B(a) \quad \Gamma \vdash z:B(b) \\ \Gamma \vdash q:\mathrm{hId}_{x:A.B(x)}(a, b, p, y, z) \quad \Gamma \vdash r:\mathrm{hId}_{x:A.B(x)}(a, b, p, y, z) \end{array} }{\Gamma \vdash \mathrm{UIP}_{x:A.B(x)}(a, b, p, y, z, q, r):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathrm{hId}_{x:A.B(x)}(a, b, p, y, z)}(q, r)}$$

Uniqueness of identity proofs for identification types follows from uniqueness of identity proofs for dependent heterogeneous identification types by defining the type $A$ to be the dependent type $C(\mathrm{pt})$ for type family $x:\mathbb{1} \vdash C(x)$ indexed by the unit type $\mathbb{1}$, and taking the canonical element $\mathrm{pt}:\mathbb{1}$, identification $\mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt})$, and elements $a:C(\mathrm{pt})$ and $b:C(\mathrm{pt})$. Since the two types are equivalent:

$$\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, b) \equiv \mathrm{Id}_{C(\mathrm{pt})}(a, b) \simeq \mathrm{hId}_{x:\mathbb{1}.C(x)}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$$

and because $\mathrm{hId}_{x:\mathbb{1}.C(x)}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$ is always a mere proposition by uniqueness of identity proofs for dependent heterogeneous identification types, it follows that $\mathrm{Id}_{C(\mathrm{pt})}(a, b)$ and thus by definition $\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, b)$ is also always a mere proposition.

Axiom K

For identification types

In dependent type theory, axiom K is given by the following rule:

$$\frac{\Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma\vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, a)}{\Gamma\vdash K_A(a, p):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathrm{Id}_A(a, a)}(p, refl_A(a))}$$

For heterogeneous identification types

There is an axiom K for heterogeneous identification types:

$$\frac{ \begin{array}{l} \Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma \vdash B \; \mathrm{type} \\ \Gamma \vdash f:A \to B \quad \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b) \\ \Gamma \vdash q:\mathrm{hId}_{B}(a, b, p, f(a), f(b)) \end{array} }{\Gamma \vdash K_{B}(f, a, b, p, q):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathrm{hId}_{B}(a, b, p, f(a), f(b))}(q, \mathrm{ap}_{B}(f, a, b, p))}$$

Axiom K for identification types follows from axiom K for heterogeneous identification types by taking canonical element $\mathrm{pt}:\mathbb{1}$ of the unit type $\mathbb{1}$, identification $\mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt})$, and elements $a:A$ and $b:A$. Since the following two types are equivalent:

$$\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, b) \simeq \mathrm{hId}_{A}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$$

and because $\mathrm{hId}_{A}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, a)$ is always a contractible type with center of contraction $\mathrm{ap}_{A}(f, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}))$ for element $a:A$, and function $f:\mathbb{1} \to A$, by axiom K for heterogeneous identification types, it follows that $\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, a)$ is also always a contractible type, with center of contraction $\mathrm{refl}_A(a)$.

Similarly, there is also an axiom K for dependent heterogeneous identification types:

$$\frac{ \begin{array}{l} \Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma, x:A \vdash B(x) \; \mathrm{type} \\ \Gamma \vdash f:\prod_{x:A} B(x) \quad \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b) \\ \Gamma \vdash q:\mathrm{hId}_{x:A.B(x)}(a, b, p, f(a), f(b)) \end{array} }{\Gamma \vdash K_{x:A.B(x)}(f, a, b, p, q):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathrm{hId}_{x:A.B(x)}(a, b, p, f(a), f(b))}(q, \mathrm{apd}_{x:A.B(x)}(f, a, b, p))}$$

Axiom K for identification types follows from axiom K for dependent heterogeneous identification types by defining the type $A$ to be the dependent type $C(\mathrm{pt})$ for type family $x:\mathbb{1} \vdash C(x)$ indexed by the unit type $\mathbb{1}$, and taking the canonical element $\mathrm{pt}:\mathbb{1}$, identification $\mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}):\mathrm{Id}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt})$, and elements $a:C(\mathrm{pt})$ and $b:C(\mathrm{pt})$. Since the two types are equivalent:

$$\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, b) \equiv \mathrm{Id}_{C(\mathrm{pt})}(a, b) \simeq \mathrm{hId}_{x:\mathbb{1}.C(x)}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$$

and because $\mathrm{hId}_{x:\mathbb{1}.C(x)}(\mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}), a, b)$ is always a contractible type with center of contraction $\mathrm{apd}_{x:\mathbb{1}.C(x)}(f, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{pt}, \mathrm{refl}_{\mathbb{1}}(\mathrm{pt}))$ for element $a:A$, and dependent function $f:\prod_{x:\mathbb{1}} C(x)$, by axiom K for heterogeneous identification types, it follows that $\mathrm{Id}_{C(\mathrm{pt}}(a, a)$ and thus by definition $\mathrm{Id}_{A}(a, a)$ is also always a contractible type, with center of contraction $\mathrm{refl}_A(a)$.

Boundary separation

In cubical type theory, boundary separation is given by the following rule:

$$\frac{\Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash r:I \quad \Gamma, (r =_I 0) \vee (r =_I 1) \; \mathrm{true} \vdash a \equiv b:A}{\Gamma \vdash a \equiv b:A}$$

Equality reflection

In dependent type theory, equality reflection is given by the following rule:

$$\frac{\Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma \vdash a:A \quad \Gamma \vdash b:A \quad \Gamma \vdash p:\mathrm{Id}_A(a, b)}{\Gamma \vdash a \equiv b:A}$$

Strong pattern matching

…

$S^1$-localization

In dependent type theory, the axiom of $S^1$-localization is given by the following rules:

$$\frac{\Gamma \vdash A \; \mathrm{type} \quad \Gamma \vdash f:S^1 \to A}{\Gamma \vdash \mathrm{circlocal}_{A}:\mathrm{isEquiv}(\mathrm{const}_{A, S^1})}$$

See also

• h-set
• set-level type theory