Skip to main content
Log in

A category theory for programming languages

  • Published:
Mathematical systems theory Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper first shows how the categorical theory of sequences is useful in explaining properties of the (word) differentiation of Brzozowski (1964). Then, the paper shows how a more general theory of languages, including both procedural and functional languages, should be constructed by using a switch proposition that extends the common equivalence between the general tensor and general hom functors of categories. Lastly, the paper offers a new way of approaching projectivity concepts of general relative homological algebra. The most interesting result is that there is a class of functors so that “functor-projectives” intersect projectives and injectives trivially, and behave correctly. Moreover, any non-zero abelian group is not Q⊗-projective.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Brzozowski, Derivatives of regular expressions,J. Assoc. Comput. Mach. 11 (1964), 481–494.

    Google Scholar 

  2. C. Chevalley,Fundamental Concepts of Algebra, Academic Press, New York, 1956.

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. Davis,Computability and Unsolvability, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  4. S. Elilenberg andJ. C. Moore,Foundations of Relative Homological Alegra, Memories Amer. Math. Soc., no. 55, Providence, 1965.

  5. A. Ginsburg,Algebratic Theory of Automata, Academic Press, New York, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Y. Give'on, On some properties of the free monoids with applications to automata theory,J. Comput. System Sci. 1 (1967), 137–154.

    Google Scholar 

  7. B. Higman,A Comparative Study of Programming Languages, MacDonald/Elsevier Computer Monographs, 4th ed., London—New York, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  8. J. Lambek,Completions of Categories, Lecture Notes in Mathematics, Springer-Verlag, Berlin—New York, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  9. P. J. Landin, A correspondence betweenAlgol 60 and Church's lambda—notation, I, II,Comm. ACM 8 (1965), 89–101, 158–165.

    Google Scholar 

  10. J.Mcarthy, Recursive functions of symbolic expression and their computation by machine,Comm. ACM 3 (1960), 184.

    Google Scholar 

  11. B. Mitchell,Theory of Categories, Academic Press, New York, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  12. D. C. Rine, A theory of general machines and functor projectivity, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Iowa, 1970.

  13. J. Rotman,The Theory of Groups: An Introduction, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rine, D.C. A category theory for programming languages. Math. Systems Theory 7, 304–317 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01795949

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01795949

Keywords

Navigation