How to use Kotlin to Write a Y-combinator function? - kotlin

Question

Can I use Kotlin FP (Lambda, function) to write a Y-combinator function?
Y = λf.(λx.f (x x)) (λx.f (x x))
In JS:
function Y(f) {
return (function (g) {
return g(g);
})(function (g) {
return f(function (x) {
return g(g)(x);
});
});
}
var fact = Y(function (rec) {
return function (n) {
return n == 0 ? 1 : n * rec(n - 1);
};
});
In Coffee:
coffee> Y = (f) -> ((x) -> (x x)) ((x) -> (f ((y) -> ((x x) y))))
[Function]
coffee> fact = Y (f) ->(n) -> if n==0 then 1 else n*f(n-1)
[Function]
coffee> fact(10)
3628800
How can I do this?

Answer 1

In Kotlin, you should introduce an additional interface G, Otherwise you will get the UNCHECKED_CAST warnings, since Kotlin is a statically typed programming language rather than a dynamic language, for example:
typealias X = (Int) -> Int
typealias F = Function1<X, X>
// v-------------v--- let G reference G recursively
interface G : Function1<G, X>
// v--- create a G from lazy blocking
fun G(block: (G) -> X) = object : G {
// v--- delegate call `block(g)` like as `g(g)`
override fun invoke(g: G) = block(g)
}
fun Y(f: F) = (fun(g: G) = g(g))(G { g -> f({ x -> g(g)(x) }) })
val fact = Y({ rec -> { n -> if (n == 0) 1 else n * rec(n - 1) } })
Another version cast a Function1<G, X> to a G, so it should suppress the UNCHECKED_CAST warnings, for example:
typealias X = (Int) -> Int
typealias F = Function1<X, X>
typealias G = Function1<Any, X>
#Suppress("UNCHECKED_CAST")
// v--- cast `g` to `G`.
fun Y(f: F) = (fun(g: Function1<G, X>) = g(g as G))({ g -> f { x -> g(g)(x) } })
val fact = Y({ rec -> { n -> if (n == 0) 1 else n * rec(n - 1) } })