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Notes On Lambda Calculus: Tytus Metrycki

The document defines lambda calculus terms and concepts. It begins by defining pre-terms (Λ−) as variables (V), applications of pre-terms, or abstractions binding a variable. It then defines lambda terms (Λ) as an equivalence class of pre-terms under alpha equivalence. Key concepts introduced include free variables (F V), closed terms, substitution of terms for variables, and beta reduction rewriting an application using substitution.

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Tytus Metrycki
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17 views

Notes On Lambda Calculus: Tytus Metrycki

The document defines lambda calculus terms and concepts. It begins by defining pre-terms (Λ−) as variables (V), applications of pre-terms, or abstractions binding a variable. It then defines lambda terms (Λ) as an equivalence class of pre-terms under alpha equivalence. Key concepts introduced include free variables (F V), closed terms, substitution of terms for variables, and beta reduction rewriting an application using substitution.

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Tytus Metrycki
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Notes on lambda calculus

Tytus Metrycki

Definition 1. Pre-terms
Let
V = {vi : i ∈ N}
denote an infinite alphabet. The set Λ− (pre-terms) is defined by following
grammar
Λ− ::= V | (Λ− Λ− ) | (λ V Λ− )
Remark 1. The expression will be surrounded by parenthesis when needed
to avoid ambiguity. Otherwise: the convection I use is left-to-right function
application.

Remark 2. Examples of pre-terms


The following are examples of pre-terms.
• v0 v1 v2 ∈ Λ−
• λ v0 . (v0 v1 ) ∈ Λ−

• (λ v0 . v0 )(λ v1 . v1 v1 )
Notation 1. I will use uppercase letter to denote arbitrary elements of Λ− and
lowercase to denote arbitrary elements of V
Notation 2. I will write λ v0 . . . vn . M for λv0 . . . vn M

Definition 2. Variable, Abstraction, Application


A pre-term of a form x is called variable.
A pre-term of a form λ x. M is called abstraction.
A pre-term of a form M, N is called an application (of M to N ).
Definition 3. Free variables
Let M ∈ Λ− . We define F V (M ) ⊆ V (free variables) as follows:

F V (x) := {x}
F V (λ x. M ) := F V (P ) \ {x}
F V (P Q) := F V (P ) ∪ F V (Q)

Definition 4. Closed pre-term


We call M closed if M has no free variables that is: F V (M ) = ∅

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Definition 5. Substitution
For M, N ∈ Λ− and x ∈ V the substation of N for x in M , written M [x :=
N ] ∈ Λ− is defined as follows

x[x := N ] ≡ N
y[x := N ] ≡ y
(P Q)[x := N ] ≡ P [x := N ]Q[x := N ]
(λ x. P )[x := N ] ≡ λ x. P
(λ y. P )[x := N ] ≡ λ y. P [x := N ] if y 6∈ F V (N ) or x 6∈ F V (P )
(λ y. P )[x := N ] ≡ λ z. P [y := z][x := N ] if y ∈ F V (N ) and x ∈ F V (P )

where z = vi such that i is minimal and vi 6∈ F V (P ) ∪ F V (N )


Definition 6. α−equivalence, written =α , be the smallest equivalence (sym-
metric, transitive, reflexive) relation on Λ− , such that

∀ P ∈ Λ− : P =α P
∀ y 6∈ F V (P ) : λ x. P =α λ y. P [x := y]

and closed under following rules:

P =α P 0 =⇒ ∀ x ∈ V : λ x. P =α λ x. P 0
P =α P 0 =⇒ ∀ Z ∈ Λ− : P Z =α P 0 Z
P =α P 0 =⇒ ∀ Z ∈ Λ− : ZP =α ZP 0

Definition 7. λ−terms
The set of lambda term is defined as an equivalence relation α on Λ− .
Symbolically:
Λ = Λ− / =α = {[M ]α : M ∈ Λ− }
Remark 3. From now on we will informally write M instead of [M ]α since we
don’t care much about pre-terms. Except when explicitly stated otherwise.
Definition 8. Free variables in Λ
Let M ∈ Λ. We define F V (M ) ⊆ V (free variables) as follows:

F V (x) := {x}
F V (λ x. M ) := F V (P ) \ {x}
F V (P Q) := F V (P ) ∪ F V (Q)

Definition 9. Closed form


We call M closed if M has no free variables that is: F V (M ) = ∅.
Definition 10. Substitution
For M, N ∈ Λ and x ∈ V the substation of N for x in M , written M [x := N ] ∈ Λ

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is defined as follows

x[x := N ] ≡ N
y[x := N ] ≡ y if x 6= y
(P Q)[x := N ] ≡ P [x := N ]Q[x := N ]
(λ y. P )[x := N ] ≡ λ y. P [x := N ] if y 6∈ F V (N ) or x 6∈ F V (P )

Definition 11. →β reduction


We define →β as the smallest relation on Λ such that

(λ x. P )Q →β P [x := Q]

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