Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ucsd!sdcc6!ngagi!velasco From: velasco@ngagi.ucsd.edu (Gabriel Velasco) Newsgroups: comp.ai Subject: Re: AI genealogy Message-ID: Date: 10 Mar 91 20:29:13 GMT References: <5466@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> <17078@venera.isi.edu> Sender: news@sdcc6.ucsd.edu Lines: 41 smoliar@isi.edu (Stephen Smoliar) writes: >velasco@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Gabriel Velasco) writes: >>minsky@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Marvin Minsky) writes: >>>the formal relation of thesis advisor is not a very good indicator of >>>the evolution of ideas in the community of international science. >>Actually, this is one of the things that we would like to determine. >>Has anyone ever actually proven the last quoted statement? >I'm not sure to what extent you can talk about "proof;" but you can certainly >muster evidence. Bertrand Russell was thesis advisor to Ludwig Wittgenstein. >The TRACTATUS was the thesis, and it may be viewed as an obedient attempt to >continue along Russell's approach to mathematics and logic as embodied in the >PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA. However, by the time Wittgenstein got around to >defending it, he already had serious doubts about both its contents and >most of what Russell stood for. The rest of his career involved tearing >down all that he had received from Russell in matters of logic, semantics, >and the foundations of mathematics. Ultimately, Wittgenstein thrived on >viewing Russell as his chief antagonist. Nothing like an ungrateful son. But, seriously folks, it seems like Wittgenstein's career *was* influenced by Russell. It may have been a negative influence, but it was an influence. Wittgenstein had a Russell-Stuff node in him that could take on a negative or positive value. If Russell had not been his advisor, then he may not have had a Russell-Stuff node in him at all. Additionally, part of this study will be to see if there is a correlation between the students environment ( i.e., advisor, department, school, etc. ) and the type of terminology they use. Initially we will be looking at the theses' titles to see if the theses of students from similar environments contain similar words. My guess is that Wittgenstein used a lot of the same words that Russell did, even if it was to contradict him. -- ________________________________________________ <>___, / / | ... and he called out and said, "Gabriel, give | /___/ __ / _ __ ' _ / | this man an understanding of the vision." | /\__/\(_/\/__)\/ (_/_(/_/|_ |_______________________________________Dan_8:16_|