[Haskell-cafe] about beta NF in lambda calculus

[Antti-Juhani Kaijanaho]

On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 07:29:05PM +0000, Algebras Math wrote:
> If above is true, I am confused why we have to distinguish the terms which
> have NF and be in NF? isn't the terms have NF will eventually become in NF?
> or there are some way to avoid them becoming in NF?

Spoken like a mathematician :)  (Well, only sort of.)

The way to avoid it is not to perform the work of beta conversion.
Similarly, you may say that people are either dead or will eventually die, so
why distinguish between a person who is dead and a mortal, live person?

-- 
Antti-Juhani Kaijanaho, Jyväskylä, Finland
http://antti-juhani.kaijanaho.fi/newblog/
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