What does this notation mean? $\Phi(x) \downarrow, \Phi(x) \uparrow$

computabilitylogicnotation

I'm not sure how I am supposed to know this, I have never used notation like this in my previous school. Is this notation logic or is it something I should have learned in math class? What I am confused about are the arrows.

$$\Phi(x) \downarrow, \Phi(x) \uparrow, \operatorname{dom}{(\Phi)} = \{x : \Phi(x) \downarrow\}$$

Best Answer

In computability theory, the first one means that function $\Phi(x)$ is defined for input $x$ while the second one means that function $\Phi(x)$ is undefined for input $x$.

Thus, $\text {dom}(\Phi)$ will be the set of input values of function $\Phi$, meaning the set of values such that the function is defined, i.e. $\{ x \mid \Phi(x) ↓ \}$.