Functions as processes

This paper exhibits accurate encodings of the l-calculus in the ¹-calculus. The former is canonical for calculation with functions, while the latter is a recent step towards a canonical treatment of concurrent processes. With quite simple encodings, two l-calculus reduction strategies are simulated very closely ; each reduction in l-calculus is mimicked by a short sequence of reductions in ¹-calulus. Abramsky's precongruence of applicative simulation over l-calculus is compared with that induced by the encoding of the lazy l-calculus into ¹-calculus ; a similar comparison is made for call-by-value l-calculus. The part of ¹-calculus which is needed for the encoding is formulated in a new way, inspired by Berry's and Boudol's chemical abstract machine. The new formulation is shown to be consistent with the original