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From: eichmann@cs.wvu.wvnet.edu (David Eichmann)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Doug Lenat's "cyc" project
Message-ID: <862@h.cs.wvu.wvnet.edu>
Date: 18 Aug 90 22:31:17 GMT
References: <53965@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <1712@drjur.tubopal.UUCP> <1990Aug17.205849.2698@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
Organization: WVU Statistics and Computer Science
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punch@pleiades.cps.msu.edu (Bill Punch) writes:

>Look, I must admit to being mostly a critic of cyc, it smacked too much
>of the Starwars "lets throw enough money at it, that will probably solve
>it" approach. 

>But the other side is that Lenat has a "vision", not just a goal. ...
>...
>I think he WILL learn something about knowledge management, which is
>what he set out to do. I also hope that cyc will be enabling for other
>groups to go beyond small AI. One can argue with the techniques used,
>methods produced etc., but Lenat has at least taken a bold step
>(presumably) forward. 

>Finally, it seems to me that it is the people with vision that have
>guided and will continue to guide the path of AI, people shooting for
>broad horizions not just the next hill.

>			>>>bill<<<

   I agree with much of the sentiment that Bill expresses here; and extend
it to the attitude of most Americans today (please don't start a US-Japan
style flame war here!).  Academic and commercial entrepreneurship has lost
its long-distance focus and seems only to look at the short-term possibilities.
Lenat's project is an excellent example of what can be gained (and lost!)
by reaching beyond the next hill...

- Dave Eichmann