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I suggest you to watch this video if you want to understand how 3 basic functions can be used to create whole language https://youtu.be/3VQ382QG-y4

This is touched on in the article:

"They are interesting because with just three initial functions (successor, constant and projection functions) closed under composition and primitive recursion, one can produce most computable functions studied in number theory (addition, division, factorial, exponential, etc.)."

Probably means the 3 irreducable primitives in LC: applications, abstractions, and "variables" (ie. attribute identifiers)

In this context, it’s more likely the 3 basic primitive recursive functions: constant, successor, projection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_recursive_function#D...

Those functions compose into programs that halt (if I read the linked Wiki right). The LC encompasses those programs plus more programs, which cannot be shown to halt.

These three? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SKI_combinator_calculus