A Standard Model-Theoretic Approach to Operational Semantics of Recursive Programs

In this paper we try to introduce a new approach to operational semantics of recursive programsby using ideas in the“priority method”which is a fundamental tool in Recursion Theory.In lieu ofmodelling partial functions by introducing undefined values in a traditional approach,we shall define apriority derivation tree for every term,and by respecting the rule“attacking the subterm of thehighest priority first”we define transition relations,computation sequences etc.directly based on astandard interpretation which includes no undefined value in its domain.Finally,we prove that ournew approach generates the same operational semantics as the traditional one.It is also pointed outthat we can use our strategy to refute a claim of Loeckx and Sieber that the opperational semanticsof recursive programs cannot be built based on predicate logic.

A Standard Model-Theoretic Approach to Operational Semantics of Recursive Programs