Higher-order theories

Abstract: We extend our approach to abstract syntax (with binding constructions) through modules and linearity. First we give a new general definition of arity, yielding the companion notion of signature. Then we obtain a modularity result as requested by Ghani and Uustalu (2003): in our setting, merging two extensions of syntax corresponds to building an amalgamated sum. Finally we define a natural notion of equation concerning a signature and prove the existence of an initial semantics for a so-called representable signature equipped with a set of equations.