Simple type theory: simple steps towards a formal specification

Abstract

Engineers, particularly software engineers, need to know how to read and write precise specifications. Specifications are made precise by expressing them in a formal mathematical language. Simple type theory, also as known as higher-order logic, is an excellent educational and practical tool for creating and understanding formal specifications. It provides a better logical foundation for specification than first-order logic and is a better introductory specification language than industrial specification languages like VDM-SL and Z. For these reasons, we recommend that simple type theory be incorporated into the undergraduate engineering curriculum.