This paper studies the interplay between functional application and nondeterministic choice in the context of untyped λ-calculus. We introduce an operational semantics which is based on the idea of must preorder, coming from the theory of process algebras. To characterize this relation, we build a model using the classical inverse limit construction, and we prove it fully abstract using a generalization of Böhm trees.

The distinction between the conjunctive nature of non-determinism as opposed to the disjunctive character of parallelism constitutes the motivation and the starting point of the present work. λ-calculus is extended with both a non-deterministic choice and a parallel operator; a notion of reduction is introduced, extending fi-reduction of the classical calculus. We study type assignment systems for this calculus, together with a denotational semantics which is initially defined constructing a set semimodel via simple types. We enrich the type system with intersection and union types, dually reflecting the disjunctive and conjunctive behaviour of the operators, and we build a filter model. The theory of this model is compared both with a Morris-style operational semantics and with a semantics based on a notion of capabilities.