Universal Algebra for Computer Scientists

Written for computer scientists, this volume offers a new model-theoretic approach to universal algebra and presents a systematic development of the methods of results of universal algebra that are useful in a variety of applications in computer science. The book is concerned with the algebraic characterization of axiomatic classes of algebras by closure operators generalizing the famous Birkhoff Variety Theorem and the algebraic characterization of related theories. The book also presents a study of term rewriting systems. Beside basic notions, the Knuth-Bendix completion procedure and terminal proof methods are considered. A third main topic is that of fixpoint techniques and complete ordered algebras. Algebraic specifications of abstract data types and algebraic semantics of recursive program schemes are treated as applications.