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\chapter*{Preface}
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\markboth{Preface}{Preface}   %or Preface ?
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\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Preface} 
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\index{Isabelle!object-logics supported}
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Most theorem provers support a fixed logic, such as first-order or
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equational logic.  They bring sophisticated proof procedures to bear upon
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the conjectured formula.  An impressive example is the resolution prover
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Otter, which Quaife~\cite{quaife-book} has used to formalize a body of
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mathematics.
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ALF~\cite{alf}, Coq~\cite{coq} and Nuprl~\cite{constable86} each support a
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fixed logic too, but one far removed from first-order logic.  They are
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explicitly concerned with computation.  A diverse collection of logics ---
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type theories, process calculi, $\lambda$-calculi --- may be found in the
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Computer Science literature.  Such logics require proof support.  Few proof
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procedures exist, but the theorem prover can at least check that each
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inference is valid.
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A {\bf generic} theorem prover is one that can support many different
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logics.  Most of these \cite{dawson90,mural,sawamura92} work by
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implementing a syntactic framework that can express the features of typical
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inference rules.  Isabelle's distinctive feature is its representation of
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logics using a meta-logic.  This meta-logic is just a fragment of
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higher-order logic; known proof theory may be used to demonstrate that the
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representation is correct~\cite{paulson89}.  The representation has much in
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common with the Edinburgh Logical Framework~\cite{harper-jacm} and with 
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Felty's~\cite{felty93} use of $\lambda$Prolog to implement logics.
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An inference rule in Isabelle is a generalized Horn clause.  Rules are
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joined to make proofs by resolving such clauses.  Logical variables in
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goals can be instantiated incrementally.  But Isabelle is not a resolution
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theorem prover like Otter.  Isabelle's clauses are drawn from a richer,
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higher-order language and a fully automatic search would be impractical.
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Isabelle does not join clauses automatically, but under strict user
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control.  You can conduct single-step proofs, use Isabelle's built-in proof
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procedures, or develop new proof procedures using tactics and tacticals.
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Isabelle's meta-logic is higher-order, based on the typed
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$\lambda$-calculus.  So resolution cannot use ordinary unification, but
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higher-order unification~\cite{huet75}.  This complicated procedure gives
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Isabelle strong support for many logical formalisms involving variable
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binding.
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The diagram below illustrates some of the logics distributed with Isabelle.
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These include first-order logic (intuitionistic and classical), the sequent
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calculus, higher-order logic, Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory~\cite{suppes72},
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a version of Constructive Type Theory~\cite{nordstrom90}, several modal
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logics, and a Logic for Computable Functions.  Several experimental
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logics are also available, such a term assignment calculus for linear
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logic.  
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\centerline{\epsfbox{Isa-logics.eps}}
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\section*{How to read this book}
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Isabelle is a large system, but beginners can get by with a few commands
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and a basic knowledge of how Isabelle works.  Some knowledge of
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Standard~\ML{} is essential because \ML{} is Isabelle's user interface.
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Advanced Isabelle theorem proving can involve writing \ML{} code, possibly
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with Isabelle's sources at hand.  My book on~\ML{}~\cite{paulson91} covers
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much material connected with Isabelle, including a simple theorem prover.
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The Isabelle documentation is divided into three parts, which serve
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distinct purposes:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item {\em Introduction to Isabelle\/} describes the basic features of
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  Isabelle.  This part is intended to be read through.  If you are
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  impatient to get started, you might skip the first chapter, which
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  describes Isabelle's meta-logic in some detail.  The other chapters
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  present on-line sessions of increasing difficulty.  It also explains how
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  to derive rules define theories, and concludes with an extended example:
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  a Prolog interpreter.
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\item {\em The Isabelle Reference Manual\/} contains information about most
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  of the facilities of Isabelle, apart from particular object-logics.  This
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  part would make boring reading, though browsing might be useful.  Mostly
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  you should use it to locate facts quickly.
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\item {\em Isabelle's Object-Logics\/} describes the various logics
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  distributed with Isabelle.  Its final chapter explains how to define new
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  logics.  The other chapters are intended for reference only.
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\end{itemize}
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This book should not be read from start to finish.  Instead you might read
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a couple of chapters from {\em Introduction to Isabelle}, then try some
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examples referring to the other parts, return to the {\em Introduction},
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and so forth.  Starred sections discuss obscure matters and may be skipped
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on a first reading.
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\section*{Releases of Isabelle}\index{Isabelle!release history}
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Isabelle was first distributed in 1986.  The 1987 version introduced a
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higher-order meta-logic with an improved treatment of quantifiers.  The
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1988 version added limited polymorphism and support for natural deduction.
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The 1989 version included a parser and pretty printer generator.  The 1992
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version introduced type classes, to support many-sorted and higher-order
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logics.  The 1993 version provides greater support for theories and is
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much faster.  
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Isabelle is still under development.  Projects under consideration include
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better support for inductive definitions, some means of recording proofs, a
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graphical user interface, and developments in the standard object-logics.
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I hope but cannot promise to maintain upwards compatibility.
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Isabelle is available by anonymous ftp:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item University of Cambridge\\
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        host {\tt ftp.cl.cam.ac.uk}\\
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        directory {\tt ml}
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\item Technical University of Munich\\
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        host {\tt ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de}\\
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        directory {\tt local/lehrstuhl/nipkow}
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\end{itemize}
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My electronic mail address is {\tt lcp\at cl.cam.ac.uk}.  Please report any
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errors you find in this book and your problems or successes with Isabelle.
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\subsection*{Acknowledgements} 
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Tobias Nipkow has made immense contributions to Isabelle, including the
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parser generator, type classes, the simplifier, and several object-logics.
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He also arranged for several of his students to help.  Carsten Clasohm
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implemented the theory database; Markus Wenzel implemented macros; Sonia
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Mahjoub and Karin Nimmermann also contributed.  
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Nipkow and his students wrote much of the documentation underlying this
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book.  Nipkow wrote the first versions of \S\ref{sec:defining-theories},
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Chap.\ts\ref{simp-chap}, Chap.\ts\ref{Defining-Logics} and part of
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Chap.\ts\ref{theories}, and App.\ts\ref{app:TheorySyntax}.  Carsten Clasohm
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contributed to Chap.\ts\ref{theories}.  Markus Wenzel contributed to
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Chap.\ts\ref{Defining-Logics}.
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David Aspinall, Sara Kalvala, Ina Kraan, Zhenyu Qian, Norbert Voelker and
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Markus Wenzel suggested changes and corrections to the documentation.
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Martin Coen, Rajeev Gor\'e, Philippe de Groote and Philippe No\"el helped
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to develop Isabelle's standard object-logics.  David Aspinall performed
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some useful research into theories and implemented an Isabelle Emacs mode.
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Isabelle was developed using Dave Matthews's Standard~{\sc ml} compiler,
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Poly/{\sc ml}.  
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The research has been funded by numerous SERC grants dating from the Alvey
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programme (grants GR/E0355.7, GR/G53279, GR/H40570) and by ESPRIT (projects
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3245: Logical Frameworks and 6453: Types).
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\index{ML}