Unification (redirected from unifications)

(programming)

unification - The generalisation of pattern matching that is the logic programming equivalent of instantiation in logic. When two terms are to be unified, they are compared. If they are both constants then the result of unification is success if they are equal else failure. If one is a variable then it is bound to the other, which may be any term (which satisfies an "occurs check"), and the unification succeeds. If both terms are structures then each pair of sub-terms is unified recursively and the unification succeeds if all the sub-terms unify. The result of unification is either failure or success with a set of variable bindings, known as a "unifier". There may be many such unifiers for any pair of terms but there will be at most one "most general unifier", other unifiers simply add extra bindings for sub-terms which are variables in the original terms.

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Unification 

in law, the process whereby the appropriate agencies of a state or several states develop legal norms regulating certain types of societal relationships in a uniform way.

In the USSR the process of unifying the legislation of the Union and autonomous republics began at the time of the formation of the Soviet state and aided the economic and social development of all the republics. In the present period, the process primarily involves the codification of legislation. In such bodies of law as the Basic Principles of Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics, legal principles for the appropriate branch of law are set forth, and general norms are determined for questions that should be treated uniformly in the laws of the individual republics. The Union republics reproduce and develop these principles and norms in their legislation.

A great deal of work on the unification of legislation is being carried out by the socialist countries within the framework of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON). The countries are carrying out this work because of the basic uniformity of their economic and political structures and because of their desire to make their legal systems more similar. By sharing their experience in lawmaking, they ensure even fuller cooperation in all spheres of social activity and relations, particularly economic development. Such cooperation is seen in the elaboration of the General Conditions of Delivery of Goods Between Organizations of Countries of COMECON, in the introduction of uniform standards and specifications, and in other measures.

Unification can also be achieved in the process of development of relations between states having different state and social structures, particularly in such areas as trade relations and the shipping of goods between countries. The York-Antwerp Rules, for example, regulate certain aspects of international commerce.