本书由计算机理论领域的知名权威Michaael Sipser所撰写。他以独特的视角,系统地介绍了计算机理论的三个主要内容:自动机与语言、可计算性理论和计算复杂性理论。约大部分内容是基本的,同时对可计算性和计算复杂性理论中的某些**内容进行了**介绍。作者以清新的笔触、生动的语言给出了宽泛的数学原理,而没有拘泥于某些低层次的细节。在证明之前,均有“证明思路”,帮助读者理解数学形式下涵的概念。同样,对于算法描述,均以直观的文字而非伪代码给出,从而将注意力集中于算法本身,而不是某些模型。新版根据多年来使用本书的教师和学生的建议进行了改进,并对课堂测试题进行了全面的更新,每章末均有样例解答。
本书可作为计算机专业高年级本科生和研究生的教材,也可作为教师和研究人员的参考书。

Preface to the First Edition
To the student
To the educator
The first edition
Feedback to the author
Acknowledgments
Preface to the Sceond Edition(International)
0 Introduction
0.1 Automata,CompUTABILITY,and Complexity
Complexity theory
Computability theory
0.2 Mathematical Notions and Terminology
Sets
Sequemces and tuples
Functions and relations
Graphs
Strings and languges
Boolean logic
Summary of mathematical terms
0.3 Definitions,Theorems,and Proofs
Finding proofs
0.4 Types of Proof
Proof by construction
Proof by construction
Proof by induction
Exercises,Problims,and Solutions
Part One:Automata and Languages
1 Regular Languages
1.1 Finite Automata
Formal definition of afinite automaton
Examples of finite automata
Formal definition of computation
Designign finite automata
The regular operations
1.2 Nondeteriminism
Formal definition of a nondeterministic finite automaton
Equivalence of NFAs and DFAs
Closure under the regular operations
1.3 Regular Expressions
Formal definition of a regular expression
Equivalence with finite automata
1.4 Nonregular Languages
The pumping lemma for regulan languages
Exercises,Problems,and Solutions
2 Context-Free Languages
2.1 Conetxt-free Grammars
Formal definition of a context-free grammar
Examples of context-free grammars
Designing context-free grammars
Ambiguity
Chomaky mormal form
2.2 Pushdown Automata
Formal definition of a pushdown automaton
Examples of pushdown autonata
Equivalence wish context-free grammars
2.3 Non-context-free Languages
The pumping lemma for context-free languages
Exercises,Problems,and Solutions
Part Two:Computability Theory
Part Three:Computability Theory
Selected Bibliography
Index