In: Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 469; Semantics of Systems of Concurrent Processes. Proceedings of the LITP Spring School on Theoretical Computer Science, 1990, La Roche-Posay, France, pages 185-222. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1990.
Abstract: The paper presents a tutorial introduction to a general methodology, consisting of categorical constructions, for the definition of new algebraic semantics for transition-based formalisms. The advantage of considering transition systems with an algebraic structure on transitions resides in the fact that often the same structure can be automatically extended to the computations of the system. This yields to categories whose arrows are not simple sequences of elementary transitions, but are instead abstract computations, equipped with a rich algebraic structure. The methodology generalizes the algebraic treatment of Petri nets, and includes the main ideas of the algebraic semantics for Horn Clause Logic, and of the algebraic treatment of Milner's CCS.
Keywords: transition system (with) algebraic structure; computation model; algebraic semantics; category theory; generalized algebraic net treatment; horn clause logic; CCS.