An Essay Concerning Human Decisions

An Essay Concerning Robotic Understanding

can think like a person is once again a hot topic. Somewhat to my surprise, this philosophical question seems to have direct practical implications for AI, especially language understanding. The following analysis has been helpful to me and might be of some value to others. When we use words such as think, understand, and wish, we typically refer to the human experience of these activities. Whe...

An Essay concerning Human Understanding of Genetic Programming

This chapter presents a personal perspective on the relation between theory and practice in genetic programming. It posits that genetic programming practice (including both applications and technique enhancements) is moving toward biology and that it should continue to do so. It suggests as a consequence that future-oriented genetic programming theory (mathematical theory, developed to help ana...

Essay concerning color constancy.

Public knowledge. An essay concerning the social dimension of science

J. M. ZIMAN, Public knowledge. An essay concerning the social dimension of science, Cambridge University Press, 1974, 8vo, pp. xii, 154, £1.40 (paperback). This book appeared first in 1968 and is now reprinted (see reviews, Bull. Atomic Sci., 1969, 25: 36; Science, 1969, 164: 669; Choice, 1969, 6: 80). It is a well-balanced treatment, aimed at the educated layman, of the philosophical, psycholo...

An Essay on Some Topics Concerning Invasive Species

There is a tendency for both scientists and lay people to regard invading alien species as inherently ‘bad’ and native species as inherently ‘good.’ Past invasions occurred commonly without human assistance. They rarely caused large, lasting decreases in species richness or ecological damage. Current invasions provide opportunities for scientific study. They are unintentional, uncontrolled expe...