A Curry-style Semantics of Interaction: From Untyped to Second-Order Lazy $$\lambda \mu $$-Calculus

Abstract

AbstractWe propose a “Curry-style” semantics of programs in which a nominal labelled transition system of types, characterizing observable behaviour, is overlaid on a nominal LTS of untyped computation. This leads to a notion of program equivalence as typed bisimulation.Our semantics reflects the role of types as hiding operators, firstly via an axiomatic characterization of “parallel composition with hiding” which yields a general technique for establishing congruence results for typed bisimulation, and secondly via an example which captures the hiding of implementations in abstract data types: a typed bisimulation for the (Curry-style) lazy $$\lambda \mu $$ λ μ -calculus with polymorphic types. This is built on an abstract machine for CPS evaluation of $$\lambda \mu $$ λ μ -terms: we first give a basic typing system for this LTS which characterizes acyclicity of the environment and local control flow, and then refine this to a polymorphic typing system which uses equational constraints on instantiated type variables, inferred from observable interaction, to capture behaviour at polymorphic and abstract types.