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C00002 00002				 A Rationale for EECS 129
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			 A Rationale for EECS 129

In the past, there have been several examples of individuals who have been  able
to present potentially  complex ideas in  a broad setting  that illuminates  the
kernel notions while not diminishing their intellectual rigor.

Robert Pirsig, in "Zen and the  Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", used the  medium
of a novel to present and discuss deep philosophical issues.

Douglas Hofstadter's Pulitzer  Prize winning non-fiction  work, "Godel,  Escher,
Bach", made deep results in mathematics  and logic accessible to people who  had
no prior inkling of the elegance and beauty of mathematics.

I have designed EECS129 with the same goal, here to expose the essential  beauty
of  mathematics,  logic,  computation,  and  philosophy  using  the  vehicle  of
interactive computing and personal computers.

In this course:
 (1) we use "Zen" to set the tone: the philosophical relationship between 
      art and science;

 (2) we use parts of "Godel, Escher, Bach" to discuss some ideas in Truth, 
      Deduction, and Computation.

 (3) we use "Mindstorms" as an overview of how personal computing can supply 
      a non-threatening  but  educational  tool. The  language  of  "Mindstorms"
      --LOGO-- is no  toy; it  is the  basis of the  current program  at MIT  to
      revise their undergraduate mathematics and physics curricula.

 (4) we dip into the arts and sciences for perspectives on the computing 
      phenomenon.  This includes reading Weizenbaum's "Computer Power and  Human
      Reason",  selections   from   Mumford's   "Technics   and   Civilization",
      Georgescu-Roegen's "Analytical Ecomonics", and Spengler's "Decline of  the
      West". And finally,

 (5) the technical substance underlying this discussion is based on my lectures.
      I draw  this material  from  my background  in theoretical  and  practical
      mathematics and  computer science.   We  build from  LOGO to  a  LISP-like
      language that is adequate to expose the computational ideas that implement
      the LOGO  notions. These  ideas are  at the  heart of  the concept  called
      "object-oriented" --the  notion  on  which  Intel  based  their  iapx  432
      processor. The move from LOGO to the 432 is a simple one; one that we will
      exercise in 129. On the software side, we elaborate on the LISP/LOGO model
      to introduce  Smalltalk-80 --Xerox's  personal computer  language that  is
      used for education as well as office automation.

 (6) we combine perspectives to examine the technical and philosophical issues
      related to the construction of "artificially intelligent" systems: how  is
      it attempted? Are  the results  shallow or deep;  potentially positive  or
      negative?

 (7) finally, in the last two weeks we will bring in guest speakers to  
      place the class material in perspective:

    Smalltalk: Dr. Adele Goldberg, Learning Research Group, Xerox PARC
    Rubik's Cube: Dr. Tom Davis, Stanford
	         Bernard Greenberg video tape of CubeSys--see March issue of
			Scientific American
    Graphics/music: Scott Kim, Stanford University
    Zork: Dr.Bruce Daniels, Apple Computer
    Theory: Dr. Vaughan Pratt, Stanford and MIT
    Machine architecture--The Intel 432: Mr. Jim Ready, Hunter&Ready
Possible  speakers
    Godel, Escher, Bach: Dr. Doug Hofstadter, Stanford University
    The Pre-socratics: Dr. Lois Flynne, San Francisco State University


Within this context, we use  a special version of LOGO  devloped at MIT for  the
Apple II personal computer.  This gives the student  the opportunity to  explore
non-trivial  applications  of  interactive  graphical  programming  ideas.    In
addition to the programming assignments, homework and tests, each participant is
expected to complete a project that relates the EECS129 material to a  topic  in
their area of interest and study.

EECS129 is  not  a  "throw-away"  course.   I  expect  high  standards  in  both
philosophical and  technical  performance; and  we  will deal  heavily  in  both
issues. Those who complete this course will have an understanding of fundamental
computing ideas that will outlive transient technology.



			       Bibliography

Required reading:

 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance -- Robert Pirsig
   A novel dealing with an analysis and resolution of the conflicts between  the
   Arts and Sciences.

 Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas -- Seymour Papert
   A detailed report on the  educational applications of the personal  computing
   language, LOGO. Emphasis  is on  the opportunity  to use  computing to  teach
   thinking; in particular, to address the problems of "mathophopia".

 Class notes -- John Allen
   On computation, logic, LISP, LOGO, and Smalltalk; AI, philosophy, and history.

 Computer Power and Human Reason -- Joseph Weizenbaum 
   A discussion of some issues related to computation, particularly the possible
   misuses of artificial intelligence.

Partial readings:

 Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid  -- Douglas Hofstadter 
   A recent  Pulitzer  prize-winning non-fiction  work,  relating  mathematical,
   musical, and artistic notions.

 Decline of the West, Vol 1: Form and Actuality  -- Oswald Spengler 
   A massive treatment of culture and  history. The major issue for this  course
   is his treatment  of a  culture's perspective in  terms of  its treatment  of
   mathematical ideas.

 Analytical Economics -- Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen
   The introduction  --expanded  later to  a  book,  "The Entropy  Law  and  the
   Economic Process"-- deals  with fundamental issues  in science,  mathematics,
   and physics.  Of particular interest is his clarification of the  differences
   between the  mechanistic  view that  typifies  traditional science,  and  the
   dialectial notions (fuzzy) that are finding their place in modern physics: an
   elegant technical discussion of the notions of quantity and quality.

 Technics and Civilization -- Lewis  Mumford
   A history of machines and an examination of their impact on society.