You are here: irt.org | FOLDOC | name capture
<reduction> In beta reduction, when a term containing a free occurrence of a variable v is substituted into another term where v is bound the free v becomes spuriously bound or "captured". E.g.
(\ x . \ y . x y) y --> \ y . y y (WRONG)This problem arises because two distinct variables have the same name. The most common solution is to rename the bound variable using alpha conversion:
(\ x . \ y' . x y') y --> \ y' . y y'Another solution is to use de Bruijn notation.
Note that the argument expression, y, contained a free variable. The whole expression above must therefore be notionally contained within the body of some lambda abstraction which binds y. If we never reduce inside the body of a lambda abstraction (as in reduction to weak head normal form) then name capture cannot occur.
(1995-03-14)
Nearby terms: naive « naive user « NAK « name capture » named » named pipe » name resolution
FOLDOC, Topics, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, ?, ALL