2013/04/02 by Sen Ma, Ma, Sen
Computer Science · Mathematics · #Algebra over a field #Artificial intelligence #Axiom #Computer science #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Logic programming #Logic, programming, and type systems #Mathematics #Predicate (mathematical logic) #Programming Languages (cs.PL) #Programming language #Property (philosophy) #Pure mathematics #Semantics (computer science) #Software #Software Engineering Research #Software Testing and Debugging Techniques #Syntax #Theoretical computer science #cs.PL
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1304.0538
published in arXiv (Cornell University) (Cornell University) · 18 pages for FOCS 2013
arxiv created 2013/04/02 · openalex publication_date 2013/04/02 · arxiv updated 2013/04/03 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A new theory of programming is proposed. The theory consists of OE (Operation Expression), SP (Semantic Predicate) and A (Axiom), abbreviated as OESPA. OE is for programming: its syntax is given by BNF formulas and its semantics is defined by axioms on these formulas. Similar to predicates in logic, SP is for describing properties of OE (i.e. programs) and for program property analysis. But SP is different from predicates, it directly relates the final values of variables upon termination of a given OE with initial values of these variables before the same OE. As such, it is feasible to prove or disprove whether a given SP is a property of a given OE by computation based on A (Axioms). SP calculus is proposed for program specification and specification analysis, that is missing in software engineering.