From: Jean-Hugues ROBERT <jean_hugues_robert@...>
Date: 2004-04-30T03:45:40+09:00
Subject: Re: Pointers in Ruby

At 03:00 30/04/2004 +0900, you wrote:
>Jean-Hugues ROBERT wrote:
>
>>"Any problem in computer science can be solved with another level
>>of indirection." - David Wheeler.
>
>I may easily be wrong, but the way I have heard this quote is:
>"Computer science is the discipline that THINKS every problem can be
>solved with an additional level of indirection." (emphasis mine)
>
>That is different, because it is subtly making fun of this tendency
>in our field, and is actually making the point that this is NOT
>true...
>
>
>Cheers,
>Hal

I take it the other way: Only a problem that can be solved with
another level of indirection is solvable by a computer.

If you prefer: A computer is something that can solve problems,
as long as the problem is solvable using another level of indirection.

Now, how are you going to get by with that dinner you promized to cook ?

But of course I believe that Artificial Intelligence is more
artificial than intelligent.

I like the statement because it rephrases in more simple terms
what is a Turing complete machine and what it can do (and what
it can't !).

I knew that Ruby was about philosophy ;-)

Yours,

Jean-Hugues



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