Definition of the Finite
typeclass #
This file defines a typeclass Finite
saying that α : Sort*
is finite. A type is Finite
if it
is equivalent to Fin n
for some n
. We also define Infinite α
as a typeclass equivalent to
¬Finite α
.
The Finite
predicate has no computational relevance and, being Prop
-valued, gets to enjoy proof
irrelevance -- it represents the mere fact that the type is finite. While the Finite
class also
represents finiteness of a type, a key difference is that a Fintype
instance represents finiteness
in a computable way: it gives a concrete algorithm to produce a Finset
whose elements enumerate
the terms of the given type. As such, one generally relies on congruence lemmas when rewriting
expressions involving Fintype
instances.
Every Fintype
instance automatically gives a Finite
instance, see Fintype.finite
, but not vice
versa. Every Fintype
instance should be computable since they are meant for computation. If it's
not possible to write a computable Fintype
instance, one should prefer writing a Finite
instance
instead.
Main definitions #
Implementation notes #
The definition of Finite α
is not just Nonempty (Fintype α)
since Fintype
requires
that α : Type*
, and the definition in this module allows for α : Sort*
. This means
we can write the instance Finite.prop
.
Tags #
finite, fintype
A type is Finite
if it is in bijective correspondence to some Fin n
.
This is similar to Fintype
, but Finite
is a proposition rather than data.
A particular benefit to this is that Finite
instances are definitionally equal to one another
(due to proof irrelevance) rather than being merely propositionally equal,
and, furthermore, Finite
instances generally avoid the need for Decidable
instances.
One other notable difference is that Finite
allows there to be Finite p
instances
for all p : Prop
, which is not allowed by Fintype
due to universe constraints.
An application of this is that Finite (x ∈ s → β x)
follows from the general instance for pi
types, assuming [∀ x, Finite (β x)]
.
Implementation note: this is a reason Finite α
is not defined as Nonempty (Fintype α)
.
Every Fintype
instance provides a Finite
instance via Finite.of_fintype
.
Conversely, one can noncomputably create a Fintype
instance from a Finite
instance
via Fintype.ofFinite
. In a proof one might write
have := Fintype.ofFinite α
to obtain such an instance.
Do not write noncomputable Fintype
instances; instead write Finite
instances
and use this Fintype.ofFinite
interface.
The Fintype
instances should be relied upon to be computable for evaluation purposes.
Theorems should use Finite
instead of Fintype
, unless definitions in the theorem statement
require Fintype
.
Definitions should prefer Finite
as well, unless it is important that the definitions
are meant to be computable in the reduction or #eval
sense.
Instances
Alias of the forward direction of not_infinite_iff_finite
.
Alias of the reverse direction of not_infinite_iff_finite
.