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From: DIETTERICH@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.ai
Subject: RE: AI Programming
Message-ID: <12567@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Apr-84 16:52:04 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12567
Posted: Mon Apr 16 16:52:04 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Apr-84 08:25:17 EST
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From:  Tom Dietterich <DIETTERICH@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA>

I think a major difference between most AI programming and most non-AI
programming is that AI programming usually involves implementing
additional layers of interpretation on top of whatever programming
system is being employed.  Any system that needs to reason about its
own actions, its own assumptions, and so on, requires this extra layer
of interpretation. The kinds of programs that I work on--learning
programs--also need to modify themselves as they run.  This helps
explain why LISP is so popular--it provides very good support for
building your own interpreters: the ability to dynamically define new
symbols, the ability to construct arbitrary binding environments, and
the ability to invoke EVAL on arbitrary expressions.  Perhaps LISP
is best viewed as a interpreter language rather than a programming
language.

  --Tom