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Functions as processes

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Automata, Languages and Programming (ICALP 1990)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 443))

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Abstract

This paper exhibits accurate encodings of the λ-calculus in the π-calculus. The former is canonical for calculation with functions, while the latter is a recent step [15] towards a canonical treatment of concurrent processes. With quite simple encodings, two λ-calculus reduction strategies are simulated very closely; each reduction in λ-calculus is mimicked by a short sequence of reductions in π-calculus. Abramsky's precongruence of applicative simulation [1] over λ-calculus is compared with that induced by the encoding of the lazy λ-calculus into π-calculus; a similar comparison is made for call-by-value λ-calculus.

The part of π-calculus which is needed for the encoding is formulated in a new way, inspired by Berry's and Boudol's Chemical Abstract Machine [5].

This research was partly done during sabbatical leave from Edinburgh University, on a four-month visit to INRIA at Sophia Antipolis, France. I am grateful both to Edinburgh University and to the French Ministry of Technology for their support.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Robin Milner

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  1. Robin Milner
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Michael S. Paterson

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Milner, R. (1990). Functions as processes. In: Paterson, M.S. (eds) Automata, Languages and Programming. ICALP 1990. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 443. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0032030

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0032030

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-52826-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47159-2

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