Lambda calculus

And to really get there, we are pulling from a massive authoritative source today.

It's the 2010 textbook Lambda Calculus with Types by Hank Behrendrecht.

A

hefty read.

Oh, very much so.

But it is essentially the definitive guide to understanding how mathematical logic maps directly onto the architecture of modern programming languages.

Okay, let's unpack this because, I mean, if you're listening right now and hearing the phrase lambda calculus and getting, I don't know, flashbacks to a confusing college math class.

People have

Yeah, long before modern computers even existed.

Alonzo Church developed this system of formal logic called lambda calculus.

Using only functions and variables.

Right.

Very mechanical.

Exactly.

But Church proved that his lambda calculus could do the exact same thing, but purely through mathematical evaluation.

Without any physical states changing at all.