Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by Jtsummers 591 days ago
Yes, that's often the objective. If they're properly written they will terminate, but not all sets of rules may terminate. It's possible for rules to cause divergence or cycles.

  A -> A B (1)

  A -> B   (2)
  B -> A
(1) never terminates, always adding a new B on application but not removing the A. (2) doesn't grow, but never terminates since each term is replaced with the other.