Understanding computation from simple machines to impossible programs 1st Edition by Tom Stuart ISBN 1449329276 9781449329273

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Product details:

ISBN 10: 1449329276

ISBN 13: 9781449329273 

Author:  Tom Stuart 

Finally, you can learn computation theory and programming language design in an engaging, practical way. Understanding Computation explains theoretical computer science in a context you’ll recognize, helping you appreciate why these ideas matter and how they can inform your day-to-day programming.Rather than use mathematical notation or an unfamiliar academic programming language like Haskell or Lisp, this book uses Ruby in a reductionist manner to present formal semantics, automata theory, and functional programming with the lambda calculus. It’s ideal for programmers versed in modern languages, with little or no formal training in computer science.Understand fundamental computing concepts, such as Turing completeness in languagesDiscover how programs use dynamic semantics to communicate ideas to machinesExplore what a computer can do when reduced to its bare essentialsLearn how universal Turing machines led to today’s general-purpose computersPerform complex calculations, using simple languages and cellular automataDetermine which programming language features are essential for computationExamine how halting and self-referencing make some computing problems unsolvableAnalyze programs by using abstract interpretation and type systems

Table of contents:

Chapter 1. Just Enough Ruby
Interactive Ruby Shell
Values
Basic Data
Data Structures
Procs
Control Flow
Objects and Methods
Classes and Modules
Miscellaneous Features
Local Variables and Assignment
String Interpolation
Inspecting Objects
Printing Strings
Variadic Methods
Blocks
Enumerable
Struct
Monkey Patching
Defining Constants
Removing Constants

Part I. Programs and Machines

Chapter 2. The Meaning of Programs
The Meaning of “Meaning”
Syntax
Operational Semantics
Small-Step Semantics
Expressions
Statements
Correctness
Applications
Big-Step Semantics
Expressions
Statements
Applications
Denotational Semantics
Expressions
Statements
Applications
Formal Semantics in Practice
Formality
Finding Meaning
Alternatives
Implementing Parsers

Chapter 3. The Simplest Computers
Deterministic Finite Automata
States, Rules, and Input
Output
Determinism
Simulation
Nondeterministic Finite Automata
Nondeterminism
Free Moves
Regular Expressions
Syntax
Semantics
Parsing
Equivalence

Chapter 4. Just Add Power
Deterministic Pushdown Automata
Storage
Rules
Determinism
Simulation
Nondeterministic Pushdown Automata
Simulation
Nonequivalence
Parsing with Pushdown Automata
Lexical Analysis
Syntactic Analysis
Practicalities
How Much Power?

Chapter 5. The Ultimate Machine
Deterministic Turing Machines
Storage
Rules
Determinism
Simulation
Nondeterministic Turing Machines
Maximum Power
Internal Storage
Subroutines
Multiple Tapes
Multidimensional Tape
General-Purpose Machines
Encoding
Simulation

Part II. Computation and Computability

Chapter 6. Programming with Nothing
Impersonating the Lambda Calculus
Working with Procs
Plumbing
Arguments
Equality
Syntax
The Problem
Numbers
Booleans
Predicates
Pairs
Numeric Operations
Lists
Strings
The Solution
Advanced Programming Techniques
Infinite streams
Avoiding arbitrary recursion
Implementing the Lambda Calculus
Syntax
Semantics
Replacing variables
Calling functions
Reducing expressions
Parsing

Chapter 7. Universality Is Everywhere
Lambda Calculus
Partial Recursive Functions
SKI Combinator Calculus
Iota
Tag Systems
Cyclic Tag Systems
Conway’s Game of Life
Rule 110
Wolfram’s 2,3 Turing Machine

Chapter 8. Impossible Programs
The Facts of Life
Universal Systems Can Perform Algorithms
Programs Can Stand In for Turing Machines
Code Is Data
Universal Systems Can Loop Forever
Programs Can Refer to Themselves
Decidability
The Halting Problem
Building a Halting Checker
It’ll Never Work
Too good to be true
Fundamentally impossible
Other Undecidable Problems
Depressing Implications
Why Does This Happen?
Coping with Uncomputability

Chapter 9. Programming in Toyland
Abstract Interpretation
Route Planning
Abstraction: Multiplying Signs
Safety and Approximation: Adding Signs
Static Semantics
Implementation
Benefits and Limitations
Applications
Afterword

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Tags: Tom Stuart, Understanding Computation, Simple Machines, Impossible Programs