Re:Lambda Calculus in 400 Bytes
by chriswarbo on Monday February 28, 2022 @09:51AM
(#30500412)
> solve (reduce? resolve? expand?)
Reduction (in particular "beta-reduction") is essentially 'calling a function with an argument' (just defined in a precise, mathematically-rigorous way). Since lambda calculus only has functions (AKA "lambdas"), "reducing an expression" is another way of saying "running/executing a program".
"Expansion" would be going the other way; e.g. introducing an abstraction layer which, when reduced/executed, would result in the original expression.
Reduction (in particular "beta-reduction") is essentially 'calling a function with an argument' (just defined in a precise, mathematically-rigorous way). Since lambda calculus only has functions (AKA "lambdas"), "reducing an expression" is another way of saying "running/executing a program".
"Expansion" would be going the other way; e.g. introducing an abstraction layer which, when reduced/executed, would result in the original expression.