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Towards a categorical semantics of type classes

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Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1991 (MFCS 1991)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 520))

Abstract

This is an exercise in the description of programming languages as indexed categories. Type classes have been introduced into functional programming languages to provide a uniform framework for ‘overloading’. We establish a correspondence between type classes and comprehension schemata in categories. Coherence results allow us to describe subclasses and implicit conversions between types.

This is an extended abstract. A full paper is available from the authors at the address: Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.

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Authors
  1. Barney P. Hilken
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  2. David E. Rydeheard
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Editor information

Andrzej Tarlecki

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Hilken, B.P., Rydeheard, D.E. (1991). Towards a categorical semantics of type classes. In: Tarlecki, A. (eds) Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1991. MFCS 1991. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 520. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-54345-7_62

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-54345-7_62

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-54345-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47579-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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