Lambda Calculi: A Guide for Computer Scientists (Graduate Texts in Computer Science, Volume 3) - Softcover

Hankin, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198538405 ISBN 13: 9780198538400

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1995

Synopsis

The lambda-calculus lies at the very foundation of computer science. Besides its historical role in computability theory it has had significant influence on programming language design and implementation, denotational semantics and domain theory. The book emphasizes the proof theory for the type-free lambda-calculus. The first six chapters concern this calculus and cover the basic theory, reduction, models, computability, and the relationship between the lambda-calculus and combinatory logic. Chapter 7 presents a variety of typed calculi; first the simply typed lambda-calculus, then Milner-style polymorphism and, finally the polymporphic lambda-calculus. Chapter 8 concerns three variants of the type-free lambda-calculus that have recently appeared in the research literature" the lazy lambda-calculus, the concurrent y-calculus and the lamdba omega-calculus. The final chapter contains references and a guide to further reading. There are exercises throughout. In contrast to earlier books on these topics, which were written by logicians, the book is written from a computer science perspective and emphasizes the practical relevance of many of the key theoretical ideas. The book is intended as a course text for final year undergraduates or first year graduate students in computer science. Research students should find it a useful introduction to more specialist literature.

About this title

Product Description

Lambda calculus lies at the very foundation of computer science. Besides its historical role in computability theory, it has had significant influence on programming language design and implementation, denotational semantics and domain theory. This book is written from a systems perspective, emphasizing the practical relevance of many of the key theoretical ideas.

Review

`For the serious student working in this field, Lambda Calculi contains a wealth of useful information which would take a long time to extract from other sources.'`.. a very good book and [] a timely addition to the theoretical computer scientist's bookshelf.'The Computer Journal

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198538405
• ISBN 13: 9780198538400
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176