Initial Algebra Semantics and Continuous Algebras
Joseph A. Goguen, J. W. Thatcher, Eric G. Wagner, Jesse B. Wright · Journal of the ACM · 1977
Many apparently divergent approaches to specifying formal semantics of programming languages are applications of initial algebra semantics. In this paper an overview of initial algebra semantics is provided. The major technical feature is an initial continuous algebra which permits unified algebraic treatment of iterative and recursive semantic features in the same framework as more basic operations.