Lloyd Allison, School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Monash University, Victoria, Australia 3800

Abstract: The specification of various kinds of statistical model from machine learning and data mining is examined formally using the type and class system of the functional programming language Haskell as a meta-language. Types and classes (in the programming sense) of models, and operations on models, are defined; many are naturally polymorphic. Convenient conversion functions map between the classes of models and extend their range of usefulness. The result is a kind of theory of programming with models, not only of using them. The ``theory'' can run as an executable Haskell program or can throw light on the foundations of platforms for programming with statistical models.

Presented at the Second Hawaii International Conference on Statistics and Related Fields (HICS03), Honolulu, 2003 June 5-8.

Keywords: Model, polymorphism, type, class.