A Formalization of the Strong Normalization Proof for System F in LEGO

We describe a complete formalization of a strong normalization proof for the Curry style presentation of System F in LEGO. The underlying type theory is the Calculus of Constructions enriched by inductive types. The proof follows Girard et al [GLT89], i.e. we use the notion of candidates of reducibility, but we make essential use of general inductive types to simplify the presentation. We discuss extensions and variations of the proof: the extraction of a normalization function, the use of saturated sets instead of candidates, and the extension to a Church Style presentation. We conclude with some general observations about Computer Aided Formal Reasoning.