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Refinement calculus, part I: Sequential nondeterministic programs

  • Technical Contributions
  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Stepwise Refinement of Distributed Systems Models, Formalisms, Correctness (REX 1989)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 430))

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Abstract

A lattice theoretic framework for the calculus of program refinement is presented. Specifications and program statements are combined into a single (infinitary) language of commands which permits miraculous, angelic and demonic statements to be used in the description of program behavior. The weakest precondition calculus is extended to cover this larger class of statements and a game-theoretic interpretation is given for these constructs. The language is complete, in the sense that every monotonic predicate transformer can be expressed in it. The usual program constructs can be defined as derived notions in this language. The notion of inverse statements is defined and its use in formalizing the notion of data refinement is shown.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Åbo Akademi University, Lemminkäinengatan 14, SF-20520, Åbo, Finland

    R. J. R. Back

  2. Swedish School of Economics and Business Education, Biblioteksgatan 16, SF-65100, Vasa, Finland

    J. von Wright

Authors
  1. R. J. R. Back
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  2. J. von Wright
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Editor information

J. W. de Bakker W. -P. de Roever G. Rozenberg

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Back, R.J.R., von Wright, J. (1990). Refinement calculus, part I: Sequential nondeterministic programs. In: de Bakker, J.W., de Roever, W.P., Rozenberg, G. (eds) Stepwise Refinement of Distributed Systems Models, Formalisms, Correctness. REX 1989. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 430. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-52559-9_60

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-52559-9_60

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-52559-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47035-9

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