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+%
+\begin{isabellebody}%
+\def\isabellecontext{Preface}%
+%
+\isadelimtheory
+%
+\endisadelimtheory
+%
+\isatagtheory
+\isacommand{theory}\isamarkupfalse%
+\ Preface\isanewline
+\isakeyword{imports}\ Base\ Main\isanewline
+\isakeyword{begin}%
+\endisatagtheory
+{\isafoldtheory}%
+%
+\isadelimtheory
+%
+\endisadelimtheory
+%
+\isamarkupchapter{Preface%
+}
+\isamarkuptrue%
+%
+\begin{isamarkuptext}%
+The \emph{Isabelle} system essentially provides a generic
+ infrastructure for building deductive systems (programmed in
+ Standard ML), with a special focus on interactive theorem proving in
+ higher-order logics. Many years ago, even end-users would refer to
+ certain ML functions (goal commands, tactics, tacticals etc.) to
+ pursue their everyday theorem proving tasks.
+
+ In contrast \emph{Isar} provides an interpreted language environment
+ of its own, which has been specifically tailored for the needs of
+ theory and proof development. Compared to raw ML, the Isabelle/Isar
+ top-level provides a more robust and comfortable development
+ platform, with proper support for theory development graphs, managed
+ transactions with unlimited undo etc. The Isabelle/Isar version of
+ the \emph{Proof~General} user interface
+ \cite{proofgeneral,Aspinall:TACAS:2000} provides a decent front-end
+ for interactive theory and proof development in this advanced
+ theorem proving environment, even though it is somewhat biased
+ towards old-style proof scripts.
+
+ \medskip Apart from the technical advances over bare-bones ML
+ programming, the main purpose of the Isar language is to provide a
+ conceptually different view on machine-checked proofs
+ \cite{Wenzel:1999:TPHOL,Wenzel-PhD}. \emph{Isar} stands for
+ \emph{Intelligible semi-automated reasoning}. Drawing from both the
+ traditions of informal mathematical proof texts and high-level
+ programming languages, Isar offers a versatile environment for
+ structured formal proof documents. Thus properly written Isar
+ proofs become accessible to a broader audience than unstructured
+ tactic scripts (which typically only provide operational information
+ for the machine). Writing human-readable proof texts certainly
+ requires some additional efforts by the writer to achieve a good
+ presentation, both of formal and informal parts of the text. On the
+ other hand, human-readable formal texts gain some value in their own
+ right, independently of the mechanic proof-checking process.
+
+ Despite its grand design of structured proof texts, Isar is able to
+ assimilate the old tactical style as an ``improper'' sub-language.
+ This provides an easy upgrade path for existing tactic scripts, as
+ well as some means for interactive experimentation and debugging of
+ structured proofs. Isabelle/Isar supports a broad range of proof
+ styles, both readable and unreadable ones.
+
+ \medskip The generic Isabelle/Isar framework (see
+ \chref{ch:isar-framework}) works reasonably well for any Isabelle
+ object-logic that conforms to the natural deduction view of the
+ Isabelle/Pure framework. Specific language elements introduced by
+ the major object-logics are described in \chref{ch:hol}
+ (Isabelle/HOL), \chref{ch:holcf} (Isabelle/HOLCF), and \chref{ch:zf}
+ (Isabelle/ZF). The main language elements are already provided by
+ the Isabelle/Pure framework. Nevertheless, examples given in the
+ generic parts will usually refer to Isabelle/HOL as well.
+
+ \medskip Isar commands may be either \emph{proper} document
+ constructors, or \emph{improper commands}. Some proof methods and
+ attributes introduced later are classified as improper as well.
+ Improper Isar language elements, which are marked by ``\isa{{\isaliteral{22}{\isachardoublequote}}\isaliteral{5C3C5E7375703E}{}\isactrlsup {\isaliteral{2A}{\isacharasterisk}}{\isaliteral{22}{\isachardoublequote}}}'' in the subsequent chapters; they are often helpful
+ when developing proof documents, but their use is discouraged for
+ the final human-readable outcome. Typical examples are diagnostic
+ commands that print terms or theorems according to the current
+ context; other commands emulate old-style tactical theorem proving.%
+\end{isamarkuptext}%
+\isamarkuptrue%
+%
+\isadelimtheory
+%
+\endisadelimtheory
+%
+\isatagtheory
+\isacommand{end}\isamarkupfalse%
+%
+\endisatagtheory
+{\isafoldtheory}%
+%
+\isadelimtheory
+%
+\endisadelimtheory
+\isanewline
+\end{isabellebody}%
+%%% Local Variables:
+%%% mode: latex
+%%% TeX-master: "root"
+%%% End: