Proving proof rules: a proof system for concurrent programs

A methodology for developing sound proof systems for program verification is demonstrated by the development of a proof system for reasoning about concurrent programs based on the unity logic of K.M. Chandy and J. Misra (1988). This proof system has been validated by an automated theorem prover, a computer program that checks the correctness of proofs. The Boyer-Moore logic in which the proof system is formalized and the Boyer-Moore theorem prover which mechanizes this logic are described. The motivation behind the unity logic and the way in which it may be used to prove the correctness of concurrent programs are examined. A proof system for concurrent programs based on the unity logic system is provided as an example. An operational semantics of concurrency is formalized in Boyer-Moore logic by use of the transition system model. Unity´s proof rules are proved as theorems about this operational semantics. The proofs of these theorems are mechanically checked. The entire proof system has been verified by the Boyer-Moore prover, making it possible to prove mechanically the consequence of other concurrent programs.<>