Problem with functional dependencies

[Daniel Gorín]

Hi, Chris

Thanks for your answer. I guess that my intuitions of what functional  
dependencies and context meant were not very  accurate (see below)

>>> class C m f n | m -> n, f -> n where
>>>     c :: m -> f -> Bool
>
> The "m->n" functional dependency means that I tell you
> "C x _ z" is an instance then you whenever you match "x" that you
> must have the corresponding "z".

That's what I thought..

>>>
>>> instance C (M n) (F n) n where
>>>     c _ _ = True
>
> This promises that "C x _ z" with x=="M n" has z==n

I agree....

>>> instance C m (F N) N => C m F' N where
>>>      c m (F' f) = c m f
>
> By the "m->n" functional dependency, the above implies that _any_  
> "m" must map
> to the type M2.N:  "m -> M2.N"
>
> This kills you in M3...

Here I was expecting the context "C m (F N) N" to work as a logical  
guard, something like:

'for all m such that "C m (F N) N" holds, "C m F' N" must hold too'

and since '"C m (F N) N" holds' would already imply 'm -> N', then "C  
m F' N" would not produce any contradiction.

I guess this view doesn't hold when FlexibleInstances is on....  
Anyway, it makes (kind of) sense now...

> By the way, if you make the class C fundep declaration into:
>
>> class C m f n | m f -> n where
>
> then it compiles.  This means ((M n) and (F n) imply N) and ("any  
> m" and F'
> imply N') which no longer conflict.

Thanks again for the tip, I will try it out!

Daniel