YES # Compositional critical pair system (Shintani and Hirokawa 2022). Consider the left-linear TRS R: a(a(x)) -> a(b(a(x))) b(a(b(x))) -> a(c(a(x))) Let C be the following subset of R: (empty) The critical pair system CPS(R,C) is: a(a(a(x0))) -> a(a(b(a(x0)))) a(a(a(x0))) -> a(b(a(a(x0)))) b(a(b(a(b(x0))))) -> b(a(a(c(a(x0))))) b(a(b(a(b(x0))))) -> a(c(a(a(b(x0))))) All pairs in PCP(R) are joinable and PCPS(R,C)/R is terminating. Therefore, the confluence of R follows from that of C. # emptiness The empty TRS is confluent.