// smallest expression of monad i can find trait MBrace[C[X] <: MBrace[C,X],A] { def nest( a : A ) : C[A] def flatten[T <: C[C[A]]]( bsq : T ) : C[A] } // a monad that is a Seq trait MBraceSeq[C[X] <: MBrace[C,X] with Seq[X],A] extends MBrace[C,A] // one of the simplest witnesses of monad i can find case class MSequitor[A]( a_ : A* ) extends Seq[A] with MBrace[MSequitor,A] { override def nest( a : A ) = new MSequitor[A]( a ) override def flatten[T <: MSequitor[MSequitor[A]]]( bsq : T ) : MSequitor[A] = { (new MSequitor[A]( ) /: bsq)( { ( acc : MSequitor[A], e : MSequitor[A] ) => ( acc ++ e ).asInstanceOf[MSequitor[A]] } ) } override def length = a_.length override def iterator = a_.iterator override def apply( n : Int ) = a_.apply( n ) } // type arguments [MSequitor,A] do not conform to trait MBraceSeq's type parameter bounds [C[_] <: MBrace[C,A] with Seq[A],A] // a statement of the instance relation class MBraceSequitor[A] extends MBraceSeq[MSequitor,A] { val empty : MSequitor[A] = new MSequitor[A]( ) override def nest( a : A ) = empty.nest( a ) override def flatten[T <: MSequitor[MSequitor[A]]]( bsq : T ): MSequitor[A] = empty.flatten( bsq ) }