How to convert the J axiom to the fixed-argument form? - agda

Question

I was trying to prove that true ≡ false -> Empty assuming the J axiom. It is defined as:
J : Type
J = forall
{A : Set}
{C : (x y : A) → (x ≡ y) → Set} →
(c : ∀ x → C x x refl) →
(x y : A) →
(p : x ≡ y) →
C x y p
My attempt went like this:
bad : J → true ≡ false -> Empty
bad j e = j Bool (λ { true _ _ => Unit; false _ _ => Empty }) _
Now, to proceed with the proof, I needed a term c : ∀ x -> C x x refl. Since I instantiated C, it becomes c : ∀ x -> (λ { true _ _ => Unit; false _ _ => Empty } x x refl. Then I got stuck. c can't reduce further because we don't know the value of x. I wasn't able to complete this proof. But there is a different version of J:
J' : Type
J' = forall
{A : Set}
{x : A}
{C : (y : A) → (x ≡ y) → Set} →
(c : C x refl) →
(y : A) →
(p : x ≡ y) →
C y p
With this one, this problem is solved, because t can be fixed to be true. This makes the c argument reduce to Unit, which we can provide. My question is: can we convert the former version to the later? That is, can we build a term fix_x : J → J'? Does that hold in general (i.e., can indices be converted to parameters)?

Answer 1

First, regarding true ≡ false -> Empty: this is unprovable if you can only eliminate into Set0 with J, so you need an universe polymorphic or large definition. I write some preliminaries here:
{-# OPTIONS --without-K #-}
open import Relation.Binary.PropositionalEquality
open import Level
data Bool : Set where true false : Bool
data Empty : Set where
record Unit : Set where
constructor tt
JTy : ∀ {i j} → Set _
JTy {i}{j} =
{A : Set i}
(P : (x y : A) → (x ≡ y) → Set j) →
(pr : ∀ x → P x x refl) →
{x y : A} →
(p : x ≡ y) →
P x y p
J : ∀ {i}{j} → JTy {i}{j}
J P pr {x} refl = pr x
J₀ = J {zero}{zero}
Now, transport or subst is the only needed thing for true ≡ false -> Empty:
transp : ∀ {i j}{A : Set i}(P : A → Set j){x y} → x ≡ y → P x → P y
transp P = J (λ x y _ → P x -> P y) (λ _ px → px)
true≢false : true ≡ false → Empty
true≢false e = transp (λ {true → Unit; false → Empty}) e tt
Considering now proving the pointed J' from J, I know about three solutions, and each uses different features from the ambient theory.
The simplest one is to use universes to abstract over the induction motive:
JTy' : ∀ {i j} → Set _
JTy' {i}{j} =
{A : Set i}
{x : A}
(P : ∀ y → x ≡ y → Set j)
(pr : P x refl)
{y : A}
(p : x ≡ y)
→ P y p
JTy→JTy' : (∀ {i j} → JTy {i}{j}) → ∀ {i}{j} → JTy' {i}{j}
JTy→JTy' J {i} {j} {A} {x} P pr {y} e =
J (λ x y e → (P : ∀ y → x ≡ y → Set j) → P x refl → P y e)
(λ x P pr → pr) e P pr
If we only want to use a fixed universe level, then it is a bit more complicated. The following solution, sometimes called "contractible singletons", needs Σ-types, but nothing else:
open import Data.Product
JTy→JTy'withΣ : JTy {zero}{zero} → JTy' {zero}{zero}
JTy→JTy'withΣ J {A} {x} P pr {y} e =
J (λ {(x , r) (y , e) _ → P x r → P y e})
(λ _ px → px)
(J (λ x y e → (x , refl) ≡ (y , e))
(λ _ → refl)
e)
pr
There is a solution which doesn't even need Σ-s, but requires the beta rule for J, which says that J P pr {x} refl = pr x. It doesn't matter whether this rule holds definitionally or just as a propositional equality, but the construction is simpler when it holds definitionally, so let's do that. Note that I don't use any universe other than Set0.
transp₀ = transp {zero}{zero}
transp2 : ∀ {A : Set}{B : A → Set}(C : ∀ a → B a → Set)
{x y : A}(e : x ≡ y){b} → C x b → C y (transp₀ B e b)
transp2 {A}{B} C {x}{y} e {b} cxb =
J₀ (λ x y e → ∀ b → C x b → C y (transp₀ B e b)) (λ _ _ cxb → cxb) e b cxb
JTy→JTy'noΣU : JTy' {zero}{zero}
JTy→JTy'noΣU {A} {x} P pr {y} e =
transp₀ (P y) (J₀ (λ x y e → transp₀ (x ≡_) e refl ≡ e) (λ _ → refl) e)
(transp2 {A} {λ y → x ≡ y} P e pr)
Philosophically, the third version is the most "conservative", since it only assumes J. The addition of the beta rule is not really an extra thing, since it is always assumed to hold (definitionally or propositionally) for _≡_.
can indices be converted to parameters?
If you have propositional equality, then all indices can be converted to parameters, and fixed in constructors using equality proofs.