Java why method overload from generic type cannot be determined at compile time -

i wondering why following code cannot use compile-time generic type information correctly lookup specific method overload, instead uses method applicable potential generic parameters. there no way of switching on generic parameter type @ compile time avoid nasty reflection @ runtime?

import org.junit.assert; import org.junit.test;  import java.util.arraylist; import java.util.list;  public class temp {     class a<t> {         t x;         a(t x) {             this.x = x;         }         string bar = foo(x);          private string foo(integer i) {             return "int";         }         private string foo(string i) {             return "string";         }         private <t> string foo(list<t> l) {             return "list";         }         private <t> string foo(t v) {             return "value";         }     }      @test     public void inttest() {         assert.assertequals(new a<integer>(1).bar, "int");     }     @test     public void stringtest() {         assert.assertequals(new a<string>("a").bar, "string");     }     @test     public void listtest() {         assert.assertequals(new a<list<string>>(new arraylist<string>()).bar, "list");     }     @test     public void longtest() {         assert.assertequals(new a<long>(1l).bar, "value");     } } 

this because compiler have generate different class a each type used t (because initializer a.bar need call different method). decision made generate 1 class. different e.g. c++ compiler generates new type used type parameters.

in other words compiled code type a<string> different type a<integer>, after compilation there type a.