Initial Algebra Semantics and Continuous Algebras

  • Authors:
  • J. A. Goguen;J. W. Thatcher;E. G. Wagner;J. B. Wright

  • Affiliations:
  • Computer Science Department, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA;IBM Thomas J Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY;IBM Thomas J Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY;IBM Thomas J Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY

  • Venue:
  • Journal of the ACM (JACM)
  • Year:
  • 1977

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Abstract

Many apparently divergent approaches to specifying formal semantics of programming languages are applications of initial algebra semantics. In this paper an overview of initial algebra semantics is provided. The major technical feature is an initial continuous algebra which permits unified algebraic treatment of iterative and recursive semantic features in the same framework as more basic operations.