Recognition: no theorem link
First Steps Towards Probabilistic Iris: Harmonizing Independence, Conditioning, and Dynamic Heap Allocation
Pith reviewed 2026-05-14 17:44 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Amaryllis is the first general-purpose probabilistic logic to support independence, conditioning, and dynamic memory allocation.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
Amaryllis establishes a sound integration of probabilistic assertions with dynamic allocation by means of an indexed valuation-style model, which promotes standard Iris resource ownership to the distributional level, and adapts frame-preserving updates, authoritative resource algebras, and the weakest precondition modality to validate independence, conditioning, and heap operations.
What carries the argument
The indexed valuation-style model of probabilistic assertions, which enables generic promotion of Iris-style resource ownership to the level of distributions.
If this is right
- Programs involving probabilistic choice and dynamic memory allocation can now be verified using modular independence and conditioning assertions.
- Iris-style ghost state and resource algebras become available for probabilistic program reasoning.
- Frame-preserving updates and weakest preconditions are sound in the presence of probability distributions over heaps.
- Mechanized proofs of such programs are possible within a proof assistant using the provided Iris-based proof mode.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- This approach may extend to incorporating concurrency or other advanced Iris features into probabilistic settings.
- Verification of algorithms using randomized data structures like hash tables or dynamic graphs could become feasible.
- Similar indexed models might be applied to other separation logics to add probabilistic capabilities.
Load-bearing premise
The indexed valuation-style model integrates soundly with Iris-style resource algebras without losing the properties of independence or conditioning.
What would settle it
A concrete program with dynamic allocation whose probabilistic semantics permits an independence or conditioning violation that Amaryllis claims to rule out would falsify the soundness result.
Figures
read the original abstract
There has recently been exciting progress in the realm of *probabilistic separation logics*. An important subclass of these -- including PSL, Lilac, Bluebell, and pcOL -- are *general-purpose probabilistic logics* (or GPLs, for short), meaning that they provide primitive Hoare-style assertions about probability distributions on the program state, along with powerful modularity principles like *independence* and *conditioning*. However, none of these logics support reasoning about dynamically allocated memory (i.e., pointers into a heap), let alone the more sophisticated resource algebra-based ghost state of modern separation logics like Iris. We argue that this is due to a fundamental obstacle: since the shape of memory (and identity of memory locations) may differ under different random outcomes, it is unclear how pointer ownership can be harmonized with probabilistic independence and conditioning. Furthermore, none of the existing GPLs have been mechanized in a proof assistant. In this paper, we take a substantial first step towards a marriage of GPLs and modern separation logics like Iris, in the form of **Amaryllis**. Amaryllis is the first GPL to support independence and conditional reasoning while also handling dynamic memory allocation. To overcome the aforementioned obstacle, we propose a new *indexed valuation*-style model of probabilistic assertions, whereby ownership of a standard Iris-style resource (e.g., heaps) can be promoted to ownership at the level of distributions in a generic fashion. We then show how to adapt the central Iris notions of *frame-preserving update*, *authoritative resource algebras*, and the *weakest precondition modality* to be sound for probabilistic reasoning and validate dynamic allocation. Finally, we have mechanized all our results in the Rocq proof assistant and developed an Iris-based proof mode for conducting proofs within Amaryllis.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper introduces Amaryllis, the first general-purpose probabilistic logic (GPL) supporting independence and conditioning together with dynamic heap allocation. It proposes an indexed valuation-style model that lifts Iris-style resource algebras (including heaps) to distributions over states, adapts frame-preserving updates, authoritative resource algebras, and the weakest-precondition modality to the probabilistic setting, and mechanizes the entire development—including an Iris-based proof mode—in the Rocq proof assistant.
Significance. If the mechanized soundness claims hold, the work constitutes a substantial advance by bridging existing GPLs (PSL, Lilac, Bluebell, pcOL) with modern separation-logic infrastructure. The machine-checked adaptation of Iris primitives and validation of independence/conditioning rules under dynamic allocation are particular strengths, as they discharge the central modeling challenge without ad-hoc parameters or circular reuse.
minor comments (3)
- [Abstract] Abstract: the sentence claiming Amaryllis is 'the first GPL to support independence and conditional reasoning while also handling dynamic memory allocation' should be qualified with a forward reference to the related-work discussion in §1 to avoid appearing overstated.
- [§4] §4 (or wherever the proof-mode tactics are described): the development of the Iris-based proof mode is mentioned but receives no concrete examples or discussion of proof size or automation effectiveness; adding a small illustrative derivation would strengthen the usability claim.
- [§3] Notation: the distinction between the indexed valuation model and the lifted resource algebra is sometimes blurred in prose; a short table contrasting the two (e.g., how ownership and composition are defined at each level) would improve readability.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for their positive summary of our paper, recognition of Amaryllis as the first GPL supporting dynamic heap allocation together with independence and conditioning, and the recommendation for minor revision. We will incorporate presentational improvements in the revised manuscript.
Circularity Check
No significant circularity identified
full rationale
The paper introduces a new indexed valuation-style model that lifts Iris-style resource algebras to distributions while preserving key properties. All central definitions, including adaptations of frame-preserving updates, authoritative composition, and the weakest-precondition modality, are mechanized in Rocq. Soundness proofs are machine-checked and do not reduce to fitted parameters, self-definitional equations, or load-bearing self-citations. The derivation chain is self-contained via formal verification rather than circular reuse of prior results.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (1)
- standard math Standard properties of probability distributions and separation logic resource algebras from Iris
invented entities (1)
-
Indexed valuation-style model of probabilistic assertions
no independent evidence
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
Alejandro Aguirre, Philipp G. Haselwarter, Markus de Medeiros, Kwing Hei Li, Simon Oddershede Gregersen, Joseph Tassarotti, and Lars Birkedal. 2024. Error credits: Resourceful reasoning about error bounds for higher-order probabilistic programs. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 8, ICFP, 284–316. doi: 10.1145/3674635
-
[2]
Amal Ahmed. 2004. Semantics of types for mutable state . Ph.D. Dissertation. Princeton University
2004
-
[3]
Anonymous. 2026. Rocq development of "First Steps Towards Probabilistic Iris: A Separation Logic with Independence, Conditioning, and Dynamic Heap Allocation". (Jan. 2026). https://zenodo.org/records/18327732?preview=1&token=e yJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJpZCI6IjFhNGVhZDMyLWNjMzMtNGFmOS05MzMyLTg2NGQ3NDkyNjNlMyIsImRhd GEiOnt9LCJyYW5kb20iOiJjZmJkYmZjNTI0MmQ1ZDQ4N...
-
[4]
Andrew W. Appel and David A. McAllester. 2001. An indexed model of recursive types for foundational proof-carrying code. TOPLAS, 23, 5, 657–683. doi: 10.1145/504709.504712
-
[5]
Jialu Bao, Emanuele D’Osualdo, and Azadeh Farzan. 2025. Bluebell: an alliance of relational lifting and independence for probabilistic reasoning. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 9, POPL, 1719–1749. doi: 10.1145/3704894
-
[6]
Jialu Bao, Simon Docherty, Justin Hsu, and Alexandra Silva. 2021. A bunched logic for conditional independence. In 36th Annual ACM/IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science, LICS 2021, Rome, Italy, June 29 - July 2, 2021 . IEEE, 1–14. doi: 10.1109/LICS52264.2021.9470712
-
[7]
Gilles Barthe, Thomas Espitau, Marco Gaboardi, Benjamin Grégoire, Justin Hsu, and Pierre-Yves Strub. 2018. An assertion-based program logic for probabilistic programs. In Programming Languages and Systems . Springer Interna- tional Publishing, Cham, 117–144
2018
-
[8]
Gilles Barthe, Thomas Espitau, Benjamin Grégoire, Justin Hsu, Léo Stefanesco, and Pierre-Yves Strub. 2015. Relational reasoning via probabilistic coupling. In Springer, 387–401. doi: 10.1007/978-3-662-48899-7_27
-
[9]
Gilles Barthe, Justin Hsu, and Kevin Liao. 2020. A probabilistic separation logic. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 4, POPL, 55:1–55:30. doi: 10.1145/3371123
-
[10]
Kevin Batz, Benjamin Lucien Kaminski, Joost-Pieter Katoen, Christoph Matheja, and Thomas Noll. 2019. Quantitative separation logic: a logic for reasoning about probabilistic pointer programs. Proc. ACM Program. Lang. , 3, POPL, 34:1–34:29. doi: 10.1145/3290347
-
[11]
12 Johannes Borgström, Ugo Dal Lago, Andrew D
Johannes Borgström, Ugo Dal Lago, Andrew D. Gordon, and Marcin Szymczak. 2016. A lambda-calculus foundation for universal probabilistic programming. In Proceedings of the 21st ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Functional Programming, ICFP 2016, Nara, Japan, September 18-22, 2016 . Jacques Garrigue, Gabriele Keller, and Eijiro Sumii, (Eds.) ACM, 33–4...
-
[12]
26 Simon Oddershede Gregersen, Alejandro Aguirre, Philipp G
Simon Oddershede Gregersen, Alejandro Aguirre, Philipp G. Haselwarter, Joseph Tassarotti, and Lars Birkedal. 2024. Asynchronous probabilistic couplings in higher-order separation logic. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 8, POPL, 753–784. doi: 10.1145/3632868
-
[13]
Philipp G. Haselwarter, Kwing Hei Li, Alejandro Aguirre, Simon Oddershede Gregersen, Joseph Tassarotti, and Lars Birkedal. 2025. Approximate relational reasoning for higher-order probabilistic programs. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 9, POPL, 1196–1226. doi: 10.1145/3704877
-
[14]
Philipp G. Haselwarter, Kwing Hei Li, Markus de Medeiros, Simon Oddershede Gregersen, Alejandro Aguirre, Joseph Tassarotti, and Lars Birkedal. 2024. Tachis: higher-order separation logic with credits for expected costs. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 8, OOPSLA2, 1189–1218. doi: 10.1145/3689753
-
[15]
Shing Hin Ho, Nicolas Wu, and Azalea Raad. 2026. Bayesian separation logic: a logical foundation and axiomatic semantics for probabilistic programming. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 10, POPL, Article 54, (Jan. 2026), 29 pages. doi: 10.1145/3776696
-
[16]
Ralf Jung, Robbert Krebbers, Lars Birkedal, and Derek Dreyer. 2016. Higher-order ghost state. In ICFP, 256–269. doi: 10.1145/2951913.2951943
-
[17]
Ralf Jung, Robbert Krebbers, Jacques-Henri Jourdan, Ales Bizjak, Lars Birkedal, and Derek Dreyer. 2018. Iris from the ground up: A modular foundation for higher-order concurrent separation logic. JFP, 28, e20. doi: 10.1017/S09567 96818000151
-
[18]
Ralf Jung, David Swasey, Filip Sieczkowski, Kasper Svendsen, Aaron Turon, Lars Birkedal, and Derek Dreyer. 2015. Iris: Monoids and invariants as an orthogonal basis for concurrent reasoning. In POPL, 637–650. 24 J. Lohse, T. Rohde, J. Xin, N. Mück, I. Kuhn, D. Dreyer, D. Garg, and E. D’Osualdo
2015
-
[19]
Benjamin Lucien Kaminski, Joost-Pieter Katoen, Christoph Matheja, and Federico Olmedo. 2016. Weakest precondition reasoning for expected run-times of probabilistic programs. In ESOP (LNCS). Vol. 9632. Springer, 364–389. doi: 10.1007/978-3-662-49498-1\_15
-
[20]
Benjamin Lucien Kaminski, Joost-Pieter Katoen, Christoph Matheja, and Federico Olmedo. 2018. Weakest precondition reasoning for expected runtimes of randomized algorithms. J. ACM, 65, 5, 30:1–30:68. doi: 10.1145/3208102
-
[21]
Robbert Krebbers, Jacques-Henri Jourdan, Ralf Jung, Joseph Tassarotti, Jan-Oliver Kaiser, Amin Timany, Arthur Charguéraud, and Derek Dreyer. 2018. Mosel: a general, extensible modal framework for interactive proofs in separation logic. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 2, ICFP, 77:1–77:30. doi: 10.1145/3236772
-
[22]
Ugo Dal Lago and Margherita Zorzi. 2012. Probabilistic operational semantics for the lambda calculus. RAIRO Theor. Informatics Appl., 46, 3, 413–450. doi: 10.1051/ITA/2012012
-
[23]
Li, Amal Ahmed, and Steven Holtzen
John M. Li, Amal Ahmed, and Steven Holtzen. 2023. Lilac: A modal separation logic for conditional probability. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 7, PLDI, 148–171. doi: 10.1145/3591226
-
[24]
Equivalence and conditional independence in atomic sheaf logic
John M. Li, Jon Aytac, Philip Johnson-Freyd, Amal Ahmed, and Steven Holtzen. 2024. A nominal approach to probabilistic separation logic. In Proceedings of the 39th Annual ACM/IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science, LICS 2024, Tallinn, Estonia, July 8-11, 2024. Pawel Sobocinski, Ugo Dal Lago, and Javier Esparza, (Eds.) ACM, 55:1–55:14. doi: 10.1145/36...
-
[25]
Haselwarter, Joseph Tassarotti, and Lars Birkedal
Kwing Hei Li, Alejandro Aguirre, Simon Oddershede Gregersen, Philipp G. Haselwarter, Joseph Tassarotti, and Lars Birkedal. 2025. Modular reasoning about error bounds for concurrent probabilistic programs.Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 9, ICFP, Article 245, (Aug. 2025), 30 pages. doi: 10.1145/3747514
-
[26]
Rupak Majumdar and V. R. Sathiyanarayana. 2025. Sound and complete proof rules for probabilistic termination. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 9, POPL, 1871–1902. doi: 10.1145/3704899
-
[27]
Annabelle McIver and Carroll Morgan. 2005. Abstraction, Refinement and Proof for Probabilistic Systems . Monographs in Computer Science. Springer. isbn: 978-0-387-40115-7. doi: 10.1007/B138392
-
[28]
Peter W. O’Hearn, John C. Reynolds, and Hongseok Yang. 2001. Local reasoning about programs that alter data structures. In Computer Science Logic, 15th International Workshop, CSL 2001. 10th Annual Conference of the EACSL, Paris, France, September 10-13, 2001, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Laurent Fribourg, (Ed.) Vol. 2142. Springer, 1–...
-
[29]
Norman Ramsey and Avi Pfeffer. 2002. Stochastic lambda calculus and monads of probability distributions. In Conference Record of POPL 2002: The 29th SIGPLAN-SIGACT Symposium on Principles of Programming Languages, Portland, OR, USA, January 16-18, 2002 . John Launchbury and John C. Mitchell, (Eds.) ACM, 154–165. doi: 10.1145/50 3272.503288
work page doi:10.1145/50 2002
-
[30]
John C. Reynolds. 2002. Separation logic: A logic for shared mutable data structures. In 17th IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science (LICS 2002), 22-25 July 2002, Copenhagen, Denmark, Proceedings . IEEE Computer Society, 55–74. doi: 10.1109/LICS.2002.1029817
-
[31]
Joseph Tassarotti and Robert Harper. 2019. A separation logic for concurrent randomized programs. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 3, POPL, 64:1–64:30. doi: 10.1145/3290377
-
[32]
Daniele Varacca and Glynn Winskel. 2006. Distributing probability over non-determinism. Math. Struct. Comput. Sci. , 16, 1, 87–113. doi: 10.1017/S0960129505005074
-
[33]
Pengbo Yan, Toby Murray, Olga Ohrimenko, Van-Thuan Pham, and Robert Sison. 2025. Combining classical and probabilistic independence reasoning to verify the security of oblivious algorithms. InFormal Methods. André Platzer, Kristin Yvonne Rozier, Matteo Pradella, and Matteo Rossi, (Eds.) Springer Nature Switzerland, Cham, 188–205. isbn: 978-3-031-71162-6
2025
-
[34]
Noam Zilberstein, Dexter Kozen, Alexandra Silva, and Joseph Tassarotti. 2025. A demonic outcome logic for random- ized nondeterminism. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 9, POPL, 539–568. doi: 10.1145/3704855
-
[35]
Noam Zilberstein, Angelina Saliling, and Alexandra Silva. 2024. Outcome separation logic: local reasoning for correctness and incorrectness with computational effects. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 8, OOPSLA1, 276–304. doi: 10.1145/3649821
-
[36]
Noam Zilberstein, Alexandra Silva, and Joseph Tassarotti. 2026. Probabilistic concurrent reasoning in outcome logic: independence, conditioning, and invariants. Proc. ACM Program. Lang., 10, POPL
2026
-
[37]
Maaike Zwart and Dan Marsden. 2019. No-go theorems for distributive laws. In 34th Annual ACM/IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science, LICS 2019, Vancouver, BC, Canada, June 24-27, 2019 . IEEE, 1–13. doi: 10.1109/LICS.2019 .8785707. A Proof Rules We give a list of proof rules in this section. The proof rules for conditioning can be found in figure 3, f...
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.