Welcome.
I do research in mathematical computer science, specialising in the interface between logic, language, and semantics.
I'm known for co-inventing the ‘nominal sets’ model of names and binding as variously implemented in nominal terms, nominal unification, nominal logic, nominal sets, nominal rewriting, nominal algebra—you get the idea. Names are hard-wired into the human brain and I try to understand them.
Check out my publications online (with bibtex), or the nominal bibliography for a broad survey of papers in this area.
Simon Antoun, Andrew Dodd, and myself have designed an open source publications map program; see the a flash-based graphical map of my publications which I created using it.
I also take photographs.
Check out my publications online (with bibtex), or the nominal bibliography for a broad survey of papers in this area.
Simon Antoun, Andrew Dodd, and myself have designed an open source publications map program; see the a flash-based graphical map of my publications which I created using it.
I also take photographs.
Personal details
|
|
Swedish Chef
For your convenience, my homepage is also available in Swedish Chef (what's that?).Photos
I am a keen photographer. I take urban and scenic photographs of people, landscapes, animals, insects, architecture — and anything else that reflects or generates light. I travel, and I always have my camera with me. Take a look through my viewfinder.Until 2007 I used a Ricoh Caplio R4 — an exquisite little point-and-shoot, for its time. I learnt a lot and a set of portraits, landscapes, macro shots, from my travels are online.
Blog
I keep a miscellanea of opinions online.Summary
I work in theoretical mathematical computer science. I use first-order logic, algebra, lambda-calculus, and semantics — especially sets and set theory — to study foundational and theoretical issues about the mathematics of programming.I'm known for inventing nominal techniques, based on the Gabbay-Pitts model of naming and abstraction provided by Fraenkel-Mostowski set theory.
The work was initially with Andrew Pitts; then Mark Shinwell, Christian Urban, and James Cheney joined in. I have since published with Maribel Fernandez, Aad Mathijssen, Martin Hofmann, Stephane Lengrand, Gilles Dowek, Michael Gabbay, and Dominic Mulligan. You can look at Murdoch J. Gabbay on DBLP (not always up-to-date!) or a full list of publications online with pdf lines.
If you cite me, please cite me as ‘Murdoch J. Gabbay’ rather than just ‘M. J. Gabbay’ because my brother Mike has the same initials.
You may find some LaTeX code to typeset the Gabbay-Pitts NEW quantifier useful. Also see my publications and my academic talks.
Papers
I love writing maths papers; you can find my publications (with bibtex) here.Talks
I have given academic talks on mathematics and theoretical computer science in universities and research institutes all over the world. Slides are online, and for the recent ones also videos. By the way, I found this helpful guide to the treatment of invited speaker (sic) in the common-room of the Central Tungus Plateau University (Okrug campus), Siberia.Classification codes
I am not a number — but if I were:- ACM Computing Classification System (1998)
- F.4.1 Mathematical Logic
- UNESCO subject classification codes (Spanish).
- 1102 Lógica deductiva
The Gabbay-Pitts NEW quantifier
A logic quantifier giving a mathematical meaning to ‘for a fresh name’. It is based on the semantics for names and binding from my thesis and LICS'99 paper and forms the basis of nominal logic. Here is LaTeX code for typesetting it.Keywords ...
... of some things I have worked on, in no particular order.- Nominal rewriting and unification.
- Nominal algebra.
- Fraenkel-mostowski set theory and models thereof.
- The NEW quantifier (here you can cut-and-paste some LaTeX to typeset it).
- Nominal logic, first-order logic, higher-order logic.
- The NEW calculus of contexts and the lambda context calculus.
- Restart.
- a-logic.
- Nominal algebra.
Scripts$
Sometimes I remember that computers are supposed to save labour as well as create employment for mathematicians. Then I write a computer script.Academic activities
A summary of what I have published, where I have been, who I have worked with, and what journals and conferences I have been a referee or written a review for, then this list might help.Tasting notes
I like alcohol, especially strong beers and malt whisky. I keep some tasting notes online.Jewish festivals
Be good, avoid scheduling events on Shabbat, Rosh Hasanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Chanukkah, Purim, and Passover.- Introduction to Jewish holidays,
- Information about the traditions behind Jewish holidays (not a calendar).
- Holiday dates for the next five years.
- A list, with dates in both the hebrew and western calendars, of the major holidays.
- 2009, 2010.
- Dates (western calendar).
- 5769-5770. 5770-5771.
- Dates (hebrew calendar).