A Practical Introduction to Denotational Semantics

A Practical Introduction to Denotational Semantics
Author: Lloyd Allison
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 150
Release: 1986
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780521314237

Basics - Notation - Lattices - A simple language - Direct semantics - Control - Data structures and data types - A prolog semantics - Miscellaneous.

The Denotational Description of Programming Languages

The Denotational Description of Programming Languages
Author: M.J.C. Gordon
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1461262283

This book explains how to formally describe programming languages using the techniques of denotational semantics. The presentation is designed primarily for computer science students rather than for (say) mathematicians. No knowledge of the theory of computation is required, but it would help to have some acquaintance with high level programming languages. The selection of material is based on an undergraduate semantics course taught at Edinburgh University for the last few years. Enough descriptive techniques are covered to handle all of ALGOL 50, PASCAL and other similar languages. Denotational semantics combines a powerful and lucid descriptive notation (due mainly to Strachey) with an elegant and rigorous theory (due to Scott). This book provides an introduction to the descriptive techniques without going into the background mathematics at all. In some ways this is very unsatisfactory; reliable reasoning about semantics (e. g. correctness proofs) cannot be done without knowing the underlying model and so learning semantic notation without its model theory could be argued to be pointless. My own feeling is that there is plenty to be gained from acquiring a purely intuitive understanding of semantic concepts together with manipulative competence in the notation. For these equip one with a powerful conceptua1 framework-a framework enabling one to visualize languages and constructs in an elegant and machine-independent way. Perhaps a good analogy is with calculus: for many practical purposes (e. g. engineering calculations) an intuitive understanding of how to differentiate and integrate is all that is needed.

The Formal Semantics of Programming Languages

The Formal Semantics of Programming Languages
Author: Glynn Winskel
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 388
Release: 1993-02-05
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780262731034

The Formal Semantics of Programming Languages provides the basic mathematical techniques necessary for those who are beginning a study of the semantics and logics of programming languages. These techniques will allow students to invent, formalize, and justify rules with which to reason about a variety of programming languages. Although the treatment is elementary, several of the topics covered are drawn from recent research, including the vital area of concurency. The book contains many exercises ranging from simple to miniprojects.Starting with basic set theory, structural operational semantics is introduced as a way to define the meaning of programming languages along with associated proof techniques. Denotational and axiomatic semantics are illustrated on a simple language of while-programs, and fall proofs are given of the equivalence of the operational and denotational semantics and soundness and relative completeness of the axiomatic semantics. A proof of Godel's incompleteness theorem, which emphasizes the impossibility of achieving a fully complete axiomatic semantics, is included. It is supported by an appendix providing an introduction to the theory of computability based on while-programs. Following a presentation of domain theory, the semantics and methods of proof for several functional languages are treated. The simplest language is that of recursion equations with both call-by-value and call-by-name evaluation. This work is extended to lan guages with higher and recursive types, including a treatment of the eager and lazy lambda-calculi. Throughout, the relationship between denotational and operational semantics is stressed, and the proofs of the correspondence between the operation and denotational semantics are provided. The treatment of recursive types - one of the more advanced parts of the book - relies on the use of information systems to represent domains. The book concludes with a chapter on parallel programming languages, accompanied by a discussion of methods for specifying and verifying nondeterministic and parallel programs.

Concrete Semantics

Concrete Semantics
Author: Tobias Nipkow
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2014-12-03
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3319105426

Part I of this book is a practical introduction to working with the Isabelle proof assistant. It teaches you how to write functional programs and inductive definitions and how to prove properties about them in Isabelle’s structured proof language. Part II is an introduction to the semantics of imperative languages with an emphasis on applications like compilers and program analysers. The distinguishing feature is that all the mathematics has been formalised in Isabelle and much of it is executable. Part I focusses on the details of proofs in Isabelle; Part II can be read even without familiarity with Isabelle’s proof language, all proofs are described in detail but informally. The book teaches the reader the art of precise logical reasoning and the practical use of a proof assistant as a surgical tool for formal proofs about computer science artefacts. In this sense it represents a formal approach to computer science, not just semantics. The Isabelle formalisation, including the proofs and accompanying slides, are freely available online, and the book is suitable for graduate students, advanced undergraduate students, and researchers in theoretical computer science and logic.

Concepts in Programming Languages

Concepts in Programming Languages
Author: John C. Mitchell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 546
Release: 2003
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780521780988

A comprehensive undergraduate textbook covering both theory and practical design issues, with an emphasis on object-oriented languages.

Formal Description of Programming Concepts

Formal Description of Programming Concepts
Author: Erich Neuhold
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 532
Release: 1991-10-04
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9783540539612

In software engineering there is a growing need for formalization as a basis for developing powerful computer assisted methods. This volume contains seven extensive lectures prepared for a series of IFIP seminars on the Formal Description of Programming Concepts. The authors are experts in their fields and have contributed substantially to the state of the art in numerous publications. The lectures cover a wide range in the theoretical foundations of programming and give an up-to-date account of the semantic models and the related tools which have been developed in order to allow a rigorous discussion of the problems met in the construction of correct programs. In particular, methods for the specification and transformation of programs are considered in detail. One lecture is devoted to the formalization of concurrency and distributed systems and reflects their great importance in programming. Further topics are the verification of programs and the use of sophisticated type systems in programming. This compendium on the theoretical foundations of programming is also suitable as a textbook for special seminars on different aspects of this broad subject.

Semantics with Applications: An Appetizer

Semantics with Applications: An Appetizer
Author: Hanne Riis Nielson
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2007-04-18
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1846286921

Semantics will play an important role in the future development of software systems and domain-specific languages. This book provides a needed introductory presentation of the fundamental ideas behind these approaches, stresses their relationship by formulating and proving the relevant theorems, and illustrates the applications of semantics in computer science. Historically important application areas are presented together with some exciting potential applications. The text investigates the relationship between various methods and describes some of the main ideas used, illustrating these by means of interesting applications. The book provides a rigorous introduction to the main approaches to formal semantics of programming languages.

Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1996

Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1996
Author: Wojciech Penczek
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 614
Release: 1996-08-07
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9783540615507

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 21st International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science, MFCS '96, held in Crakow, Poland in September 1996. The volume presents 35 revised full papers selected from a total of 95 submissions together with 8 invited papers and 2 abstracts of invited talks. The papers included cover issues from the whole area of theoretical computer science, with a certain emphasis on mathematical and logical foundations. The 10 invited presentations are of particular value.

Computational Semantics

Computational Semantics
Author: George Dekoulis
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2023-11-02
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1837684650

This book analyzes the application of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in the semantics’ analysis for linguistics, classical studies, and philosophy. Similar techniques can be implemented to incorporate the fields of education, psychology, humanities, law, maritime, data science and business intelligence. The book is suitable for the broader audience interested in the emerging scientific field of formal and Natural Language Processing (NLP). The significance of incorporating all aspects of logic design right at the beginning of the creation of a new NLP system is emphasized and analyzed throughout the book. NLP and AI systems offer an unprecedented set of virtues to society. However, the principles of ethical logic design and operation of primitive to deep learning NLP products must be considered in the future, even via the preparation of legislation if needed. As law applications are already taking advantage of the techniques mentioned, the manufacturers should apply the laws and the possible knowledge development of the NLP products could even be monitored after sales. This will minimize the drawbacks of implementing such intelligent technological solutions. NLP systems are a digital representation of ourselves and may even interact with each other in the future. Learning from them is also a way to improve ourselves.