Re:The Lazy Monad
by tel on Tuesday June 07, 2022 @11:28PM
(#31662850)
I'm not saying functor is a good name. I'm saying it's the name that's more or less stuck. To start using a new one is just to make the terminology even more confusing.
For what it's worth, "functor" properly describes the combination of a type and its relevant .map() function. It's (common) shorthand to refer to just the type as "a functor" when there's a unique, well-known functor that utilizes that type.
So, we could be more precise, of course. But also if you just throw up your hands when someone says "a list is a functor" then you're fighting a difficult battle.
For what it's worth, "functor" properly describes the combination of a type and its relevant .map() function. It's (common) shorthand to refer to just the type as "a functor" when there's a unique, well-known functor that utilizes that type.
So, we could be more precise, of course. But also if you just throw up your hands when someone says "a list is a functor" then you're fighting a difficult battle.