Hello all,
I'm trying to implement some simple natural language semantics with
Haskell (Hugs), and I'm running into trouble with type classes.
Here's what I want to do: Suppose that
x :: a -> b
y :: a
then I want to write
apply x y = x y :: b
Moreover, if
x :: a
y :: a -> b
I also want to write
apply x y = y x :: b
So far I was able to implement what I want, as follows:
class Applicable a b c | a b -> c where apply :: a -> b -> c
instance Applicable (a -> b) a b where apply = ($)
instance Applicable a (a -> b) b where apply = flip ($)
The code above allows me to say
int :: Int -> Int
int = id
test = apply (int 3) (apply ((+)::Int->Int->Int) (int 5))
which results in test == 8. Now, suppose that m is a Monad. If
x :: m a
y :: m (a -> b)
I want to write
apply x y = do x' <- x; y' <- y; return x y :: m b
Similarly, if
x :: m (a -> b)
y :: m a
I want to write
apply x y = do x' <- x; y' <- y; return y x :: m b
In general, if
apply :: a -> b -> c
works, I also want
apply :: m a -> m b -> m c
to work, by
apply = liftM2 apply
Thus I attempted:
import Monad
instance (Monad m, Applicable a b c) => Applicable (m a) (m b) (m c)
where apply = liftM2 apply
test2 = apply [int 3] (apply [(+)::Int->Int->Int] [int 5])
But Hugs said:
ERROR M4.hs:23 - Unresolved top-level overloading
*** Binding : test2
*** Outstanding context : Applicable Int (Int -> Int) b
What's wrong? Given that class Applicable a b c | a b -> c, shouldn't
Hugs be able to figure out automatically what type b would result in
Applicable Int (Int -> Int) b?
Thanks in advance...
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