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\F1\CFeb 27, 1981








Dean Joseph L. Subbiondo
College of Humanities
Dean's Office
Bannan Hall, #226


Dear Dean Subbiondo:

\JRuth Davis  passed your remarks about the
proposed seminar to me. I am pleased that you found the
proposal constructive, and
I am currently incorporating your suggested changes.

I understand and sympathize with your colleagues  concerns about the position
of computing in  a humanities program. I share those
concerns and, in fact,  suspect that my concerns about most
uses of computers in science and engineering would be as vocal and not as
politely  phrased. The technologist's view of computing tends to be as far
from the mark as that of the most skeptical humanities-oriented individual.
There is general muddle and misuse  in dealing with
the computing phenomenon  and  this is one of my reasons for 
organizing and lobbying  for these new programs. 

I'm attaching a draft of a story I wrote for
the student newspaper, discussing the  upcoming EECS129 course; though the 
presentation is geared toward "P. R. hype", it is accurate in its thrust.
EECS129 will not be an "electronic driver's education" course. Such courses
appear throughout our educational system, from  programming
classes to literacy courses; from grade-school  through continuing education;
such  approaches are intellectually deadening if not down-right dishonest.

I recommend the Papert book \F3Mindstorms\F1 as an 
exciting "cross-discipline" view
of computing. Its thrust is educational applications, but in the discussion
describes many of the attributes that "non-threatening" computation should contain.
It will be a distinct challenge to develop an in-depth appreciation for the
computing phenomenon, discussing Papert's
work and fleshing out the ideas that
support systems like his as compared to
traditional computing. 

I understand the mathematical, logical, and
technical aspects of computing;
my concerns    lie in the areas where
your School excels: the  mature perspective on human thought. I have
intutions; I have opinions; but lack sufficient breadth  to relate what is
occuring  in our culture to more general human endeavors.
 I was quite serious, when I wrote in the
proposal, \F3"We expect to draw heavily on  the
experience and skill of the seminar participants, bringing their depth and
understanding to bear on the general cultural picture"\F1

For several years, I have
argued that computation (as the notion of algorithm) is a much more powerful
metaphor than that which supports traditional mathematics (the idea of function).
As such, therefore, computation presents a much more solid (in the
sense of intuition)
basis on which to develop mathematical thinking. Given the ubiquitous 
computer and  a grounding in algorithmic ideas (the computational analog to
function), one should be able to vitalize mathematics and mathematical thinking.
Recently while expounding on this, a listener described a bit about Spengler's
views of culture, 
particularly relating a culture's orientation to its treatment of mathematics.
I was intrigued and, after reading some of his work, staggered.
After seeing his
view of the world, Hofstadter's \F3Godel, Escher, Bach\F1 is child's play.

My current
seductive hypothesis  relates Spengler's view of mathematics
and culture with my belief
in computation as a fundamental principle: \F3computation  represents the
catalyst that will support a new culture and we are in the
midst of its birth\F1. If so, and if Spengler is to be
believed, then
we should be able to relate contemporary diverse human endeavor to essential
ingredients in computation.
Whether or not such analysis can be sustained, the question 
certainly is worth pursuing; and its pursuit represents an elegant opportunity
 to unify knowledge currently fragmented between the Schools.
I hope to see this unification in action within the faculty seminar.

I expect to begin discussing  the possible cultural synthesis in EECS129;
however, as I mentioned, my background is woefully inadequate. I hope that I can 
draw upon some of your faculty member's  expertise for the spring offering.
Perhaps you could recommend people who would look upon my confusions with
sympathy.
If so, perhaps you and I could meet for lunch one day this term to discuss the
spring class as well as the proposed faculty seminar.
\.
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Yours sincerely,


John R. Allen
18215 Bayview Dr.
Los Gatos Ca, 95030
(408) 353-3857
984-4358 --Ruth Davis
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