YES # parallel critical pair closing system (Shintani and Hirokawa 2022) Consider the left-linear TRS R: h(f(f(f(h(c(),h(b(),c()))))),h(f(f(b())),b())) -> f(h(b(),f(a()))) f(c()) -> b() Let C be the following subset of R: (empty) The TRS R is left-linear and all parallel critical pairs are joinable by C. Therefore, the confluence of R follows from that of C. # emptiness The empty TRS is confluent.