Logic and Computation

This book is concerned with techniques for formal theorem-proving, with particular reference to Cambridge LCF (Logic for Computable Functions). Cambridge LCF is a computer program for reasoning about computation. It combines the methods of mathematical logic with domain theory, the basis of the denotational approach to specifying the meaning of program statements. Cambridge LCF is based on an earlier theorem-proving system, Edinburgh LCF, which introduced a design that gives the user flexibility to use and extend the system. A goal of this book is to explain the design, which has been adopted in several other systems. The book consists of two parts. Part I outlines the mathematical preliminaries, elementary logic and domain theory, and explains them at an intuitive level, giving reference to more advanced reading; Part II provides sufficient detail to serve as a reference manual for Cambridge LCF. It will also be a useful guide for implementors of other programs based on the LCF approach.