ISM(ID:7613/)

Symbol manipulation language 

for Interpretive Symbol Manipulator

System for large-scale symbol manipulation processes
References:
  • Storm,Edward F. "An algorithmic notation for symbol manipulation" (Thesis) Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass., 1966 view details Abstract: This thesis is concerned with the realization of symbol manipulation processes on a large scale digital computer. The principal contribution consists of a new programming language for these processes called ISM (Interpretive Symbol Manipulator).

    In Chapter I this programming language is described in summary and is related to other languages for similar processes.

    In Chapter 2 a primitive form of the language is introduced and it is proved that the notation for this language is equivalent to the notation for the description of Turing Machines in the sense that any algorithm realizable in one notation is realizable in the other. This is done first by showing how to write any Turing Machine as an ISM program, and second by showing that every ISM program corresponds to a recursive function.

    In Chapter 3 a more comprehensive algorithmic notation for symbol manipulation is introduced by the contextual definition of new constructs in terms of the primitive notation.

    In Chapter 4 the IBM 7090 realization of the comprehensive notation is described and is used to realize the Wang algorithm for the propositional calculus. Finally, a new decision procedure for the propositional calculus is described.

    Chapter 5 reports the results of some ISM programs to verify the proofs in Quine's Mathematical Logic. There is a discussion of ways to improve the efficieycv of the realization of ISM and a description of the trial runs that are made.
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