/*! @file Forward declares `boost::hana::Logical`. @copyright Louis Dionne 2013-2016 Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE.md or copy at http://boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt) */ #ifndef BOOST_HANA_FWD_CONCEPT_LOGICAL_HPP #define BOOST_HANA_FWD_CONCEPT_LOGICAL_HPP #include BOOST_HANA_NAMESPACE_BEGIN //! @ingroup group-concepts //! @defgroup group-Logical Logical //! The `Logical` concept represents types with a truth value. //! //! Intuitively, a `Logical` is just a `bool`, or something that can act //! like one. However, in the context of programming with heterogeneous //! objects, it becomes extremely important to distinguish between those //! objects whose truth value is known at compile-time, and those whose //! truth value is only known at runtime. The reason why this is so //! important is because it is possible to branch at compile-time on //! a condition whose truth value is known at compile-time, and hence //! the return type of the enclosing function can depend on that truth //! value. However, if the truth value is only known at runtime, then //! the compiler has to compile both branches (because any or both of //! them may end up being used), which creates the additional requirement //! that both branches must evaluate to the same type. //! //! More specifically, `Logical` (almost) represents a [boolean algebra][1], //! which is a mathematical structure encoding the usual properties that //! allow us to reason with `bool`. The exact properties that must be //! satisfied by any model of `Logical` are rigorously stated in the laws //! below. //! //! //! Truth, falsity and logical equivalence //! -------------------------------------- //! A `Logical` `x` is said to be _true-valued_, or sometimes also just //! _true_ as an abuse of notation, if //! @code //! if_(x, true, false) == true //! @endcode //! //! Similarly, `x` is _false-valued_, or sometimes just _false_, if //! @code //! if_(x, true, false) == false //! @endcode //! //! This provides a standard way of converting any `Logical` to a straight //! `bool`. The notion of truth value suggests another definition, which //! is that of logical equivalence. We will say that two `Logical`s `x` //! and `y` are _logically equivalent_ if they have the same truth value. //! To denote that some expressions `p` and `q` of a Logical data type are //! logically equivalent, we will sometimes also write //! @code //! p if and only if q //! @endcode //! which is very common in mathematics. The intuition behind this notation //! is that whenever `p` is true-valued, then `q` should be; but when `p` //! is false-valued, then `q` should be too. Hence, `p` should be //! true-valued when (and only when) `q` is true-valued. //! //! //! Minimal complete definition //! --------------------------- //! `eval_if`, `not_` and `while_` //! //! All the other functions can be defined in those terms: //! @code //! if_(cond, x, y) = eval_if(cond, lazy(x), lazy(y)) //! and_(x, y) = if_(x, y, x) //! or_(x, y) = if_(x, x, y) //! etc... //! @endcode //! //! //! Laws //! ---- //! As outlined above, the `Logical` concept almost represents a boolean //! algebra. The rationale for this laxity is to allow things like integers //! to act like `Logical`s, which is aligned with C++, even though they do //! not form a boolean algebra. Even though we depart from the usual //! axiomatization of boolean algebras, we have found through experience //! that the definition of a Logical given here is largely compatible with //! intuition. //! //! The following laws must be satisfied for any data type `L` modeling //! the `Logical` concept. Let `a`, `b` and `c` be objects of a `Logical` //! data type, and let `t` and `f` be arbitrary _true-valued_ and //! _false-valued_ `Logical`s of that data type, respectively. Then, //! @code //! // associativity //! or_(a, or_(b, c)) == or_(or_(a, b), c) //! and_(a, and_(b, c)) == and_(and_(a, b), c) //! //! // equivalence through commutativity //! or_(a, b) if and only if or_(b, a) //! and_(a, b) if and only if and_(b, a) //! //! // absorption //! or_(a, and_(a, b)) == a //! and_(a, or_(a, b)) == a //! //! // left identity //! or_(a, f) == a //! and_(a, t) == a //! //! // distributivity //! or_(a, and_(b, c)) == and_(or_(a, b), or_(a, c)) //! and_(a, or_(b, c)) == or_(and_(a, b), and_(a, c)) //! //! // complements //! or_(a, not_(a)) is true-valued //! and_(a, not_(a)) is false-valued //! @endcode //! //! > #### Why is the above not a boolean algebra? //! > If you look closely, you will find that we depart from the usual //! > boolean algebras because: //! > 1. we do not require the elements representing truth and falsity to //! > be unique //! > 2. we do not enforce commutativity of the `and_` and `or_` operations //! > 3. because we do not enforce commutativity, the identity laws become //! > left-identity laws //! //! //! Concrete models //! --------------- //! `hana::integral_constant` //! //! //! Free model for arithmetic data types //! ------------------------------------ //! A data type `T` is arithmetic if `std::is_arithmetic::%value` is //! true. For an arithmetic data type `T`, a model of `Logical` is //! provided automatically by using the result of the builtin implicit //! conversion to `bool` as a truth value. Specifically, the minimal //! complete definition for those data types is //! @code //! eval_if(cond, then, else_) = cond ? then(id) : else(id) //! not_(cond) = static_cast(cond ? false : true) //! while_(pred, state, f) = equivalent to a normal while loop //! @endcode //! //! > #### Rationale for not providing a model for all contextually convertible to bool data types //! > The `not_` method can not be implemented in a meaningful way for all //! > of those types. For example, one can not cast a pointer type `T*` //! > to bool and then back again to `T*` in a meaningful way. With an //! > arithmetic type `T`, however, it is possible to cast from `T` to //! > bool and then to `T` again; the result will be `0` or `1` depending //! > on the truth value. If you want to use a pointer type or something //! > similar in a conditional, it is suggested to explicitly convert it //! > to bool by using `to`. //! //! //! [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boolean_algebra_(structure) template struct Logical; BOOST_HANA_NAMESPACE_END #endif // !BOOST_HANA_FWD_CONCEPT_LOGICAL_HPP