Why There is no General Solution to the Problem of Software Verification

Foundations of Science 25 (3):541-557 (2020)
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Abstract

How can we be certain that software is reliable? Is there any method that can verify the correctness of software for all cases of interest? Computer scientists and software engineers have informally assumed that there is no fully general solution to the verification problem. In this paper, we survey approaches to the problem of software verification and offer a new proof for why there can be no general solution.

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John Symons
University of Kansas

References found in this work

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On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem.Alan Turing - 1936 - Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society 42 (1):230-265.
In defense of proper functions.Ruth Millikan - 1989 - Philosophy of Science 56 (June):288-302.
Computing Machinery and Intelligence.Alan M. Turing - 2003 - In John Heil (ed.), Philosophy of Mind: A Guide and Anthology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Model Theory.Michael Makkai, C. C. Chang & H. J. Keisler - 1991 - Journal of Symbolic Logic 56 (3):1096.

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