new_definition : term -> thm

SYNOPSIS
Declare a new constant and a definitional axiom.

DESCRIPTION
The function new_definition provides a facility for definitional extensions. It takes a term giving the desired definition. The value returned by new_definition is a theorem stating the definition requested by the user. Let v_1,...,v_n be tuples of distinct variables, containing the variables x_1,...,x_m. Evaluating new_definition `c v_1 ... v_n = t`, where c is a variable whose name is not already used as a constant, declares c to be a new constant and returns the theorem:
   |- !x_1 ... x_m. c v_1 ... v_n = t
Optionally, the definitional term argument may have any of its variables universally quantified.

FAILURE CONDITIONS
new_definition fails if c is already a constant or if the definition does not have the right form.

EXAMPLE
A NAND relation on signals indexed by `time' can be defined as follows.
  # new_definition
       `NAND2   (in_1,in_2) out <=> !t:num. out t <=> ~(in_1 t /\ in_2 t)`;;
  val it : thm =
    |- !out in_1 in_2.
           NAND2 (in_1,in_2) out <=> (!t. out t <=> ~(in_1 t /\ in_2 t))

COMMENTS
Note that the conclusion of the theorem returned is essentially the same as the term input by the user, except that c was a variable in the original term but is a constant in the returned theorem. The function define is significantly more flexible in the kinds of definition it allows, but for some purposes this more basic principle is fine.

SEE ALSO
define, new_basic_definition, new_inductive_definition, new_recursive_definition, new_specification.