Constructing a universe for the setoid model

Abstract

The setoid model is a model of intensional type theory that validates certain extensionality principles, like function extensionality and propositional extensionality, the latter being a limited form of univalence that equates logically equivalent propositions. The appeal of this model construction is that it can be constructed in a small, intensional, type theoretic metatheory, therefore giving a method to boostrap extensionality. The setoid model has been recently adapted into a formal system, namely Setoid Type Theory (SeTT). SeTT is an extension of intensional Martin-Löf type theory with constructs that give full access to the extensionality principles that hold in the setoid model.Although already a rich theory as currently defined, SeTT currently lacks a way to internalize the notion of type beyond propositions, hence we want to extend SeTT with a universe of setoids. To this aim, we present the construction of a (non-univalent) universe of setoids within the setoid model, first as an inductive-recursive definition, which is then translated to an inductive-inductive definition and finally to an inductive family. These translations from more powerful definition schemas to simpler ones ensure that our construction can still be defined in a relatively small metatheory which includes a proof-irrelevant identity type with a strong transport rule.