Executing an SECD machine using logic programming

ABSTRACT

Students usually find formal methods of describing programming languages very difficult because of the cryptic notation, the complexity of the techniques, and the size of the specifications. The SECD abstract machine provides a small but clear description of the operational semantics of the lambda calculus. By implementing the SECD machine in Prolog, we give students a tool for testing specifications and for experimenting with alternate language semantics in an interactive setting.

REFERENCES

• 1: W. F. Clocksin , Christopher S. Mellish, Programming in Prolog (3rd ed.), Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., New York, NY, 1987
• 2: Anthony Field and Peter Harrison, Functional Programruing, Addison-Wesley, 1988.
• 3: Hugh Glaser , Chris Hankin , David Till, Principles of functional programming, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1984
• 4: Peter Landin, "The Mechnical Evaluation of Expressions" The Computer Journal, 6.4, January 1964, pp. 308-320.
• 5: Peter Landin, "A l-Calculus Approach" in Advances in Progranvning and Non-numerical Computation, Edited by Leslie Fox, Pergamon Press, 1966, pp. 97-141
• 6: Ken Slonneger , Kenneth Slonneger , Barry Kurtz, Formal Syntax and Semantics of Programming Languages: A Laboratory Based Approach, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1995

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  F. Theory of Computation
  F.4 MATHEMATICAL LOGIC AND FORMAL LANGUAGES
      F.4.1 Mathematical Logic
          Subjects: Logic and constraint programming

Additional Classification:
  F. Theory of Computation
  F.1 COMPUTATION BY ABSTRACT DEVICES
  F.3 LOGICS AND MEANINGS OF PROGRAMS
      F.3.2 Semantics of Programming Languages
          Subjects: Operational semantics
  F.4 MATHEMATICAL LOGIC AND FORMAL LANGUAGES
      F.4.1 Mathematical Logic
          Subjects: Lambda calculus and related systems

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Human Factors, Languages