Abstract
In Chapter 8, it was shown how functional programs can be regarded as elements of a relation algebra. In this chapter, we consider imperative programs, which we view as computing an input-output relation on a set of states. We are interested here in programs that are meant to terminate, not in reactive programs. Our programming language is Dijkstra’s language of guarded commands [Dijkstra 1976], which allows the expression of nondeterminism, thus making a relational approach very natural.
The first and second authors acknowledge the financial support of the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) of Canada.
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Notes
The first and second authors acknowledge the financial support of the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) of Canada.
As in Chapt. 8, the symbol D is used to remind of the qualificative demonic.
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© 1997 Springer-Verlag Wien
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Desharnais, J., Mili, A., Nguyen, T.T. (1997). Refinement and Demonic Semantics. In: Brink, C., Kahl, W., Schmidt, G. (eds) Relational Methods in Computer Science. Advances in Computing Sciences. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6510-2_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6510-2_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna
Print ISBN: 978-3-211-82971-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-6510-2
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