rggoebel@water.UUCP (Randy Goebel) (01/12/85)
Here's a few questions that might get things moving again.
What has the Fifth Generation Project got to do with AI?
What is the role of the Canadian Society for Fifth Generation Research
What is the opinion of the CIAR AIRS program?
Randy Goebel
Logic Programming and Artificial Intelligence Group
Computer Science Department
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA N2L 3G1
UUCP: {decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!watmath!water!rggoebel
CSNET: rggoebel%water@waterloo.csnet
ARPA: rggoebel%water%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpahenry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (01/14/85)
Here's a Devil's Advocate position to help re-start discussion... > What has the Fifth Generation Project got to do with AI? > What is the role of the Canadian Society for Fifth Generation Research The role of anything containing the words "Fifth Generation" is basically to make glowing promises (accompanied by reminders about the bogeyman on the other side of the Pacific) in hopes of convincing government and industry to fork out more money for the (admittedly reasonably deserving) AI community. Period. -- Skeptically yours, Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry
mack@ubc-vision.CDN (Alan Mackworth) (01/14/85)
Well, I created ai.can and ai.can.cscsi in the apparently mistaken belief that they might allow and encourage discussion east-west instead of north-south. The suggestion that they be destroyed seemed reasonable and I sent a message to the suggester agreeing. Since Randy and Graeme are trying one more time to breathe life into the corpses, let's give 'em a few weeks to show signs of life. Remember, though, even mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should be abandoned when rigor mortis sets in. To start off on Randy's three questions: 1) What has 5G to do with AI? 5G is concerned with technology. AI is a schizophrenic field of science and technology all mixed together. Maybe we can sort it out by realizing that we must try harder to untangle the field and be clearer about when we are doing what. For example, we might end up with AI being the science, and knowledge engineering, robotics, 5G and cognitive science (even) being applications area for that science. That would be a less confusing way of thinking about ourselves. 2) What is the role of the CSFGR? It seems to be a coordination and lobbying group. That's a fine role for it and it seems to be fulfilling that role well. It seems we all agree that NSERC is the best conduit for funding and peer evaluation. My major concern about the CSFGR is that the science will be deemphasized (see answer to 1). 3) What is the opinion of the CIAR AIR program? (S has been spun off) None. It has no official opinions since it is a research program carried out by many independent researchers. In particular, all the opinions in this message are personal and independent of any organizational connections I may have with groups such as the Society for the Preservation of Obsolete Technology. (Paper tape and punched cards are in serious danger of having their ecological niches totally destroyed by unthinking applications of the new technology.)