Hmm, I don't know if people will ever see Lisp as an "AI Language" though (kidding). My personal experience was that I learned Common Lisp in the context of an AI course in college. I was pretty excited about learning the language, so I read The Little Lisper the summer before taking the course. At least in my experience, it was not a distraction at all, but a big plus, and definitely life-changing.
On Sun, Aug 14, 2011 at 6:37 PM, Jeff Heon <jfh...@gmail.com> wrote: > I think we all agree that Lisp would be ideal for AI, given a medium > or long-term exposure, but for an introductory class to varied > branches of AI, we could do worse than Python, an easy to read > language with various numerical and AI libraries (PyEvolve, for > example. http://pyevolve.sourceforge.net/0_6rc1/). And it's dead > simple to start using it with IDLE or the REPL. After all, the class > is not about teaching Python or Lisp, it's about teaching AI concepts. > Even Java has been used this gentle introduction to genetic > programming: http://www.gp-field-guide.org.uk/. In fact, it might be > even better to start with a no-brainer language like Python. > > Also if I may digress a bit, we have a tendency to forget that what > works for us best might not be what works best for other. Lisp simply > is not for everybody, maybe not even for most people, and that's ok. > > On Aug 13, 1:36 pm, Lee Spector <lspec...@hampshire.edu> wrote: > > On the other hand I prefer to work in Lisp (Common Lisp, Scheme, > Clojure), but my main project these days involves evolving Push programs > rather than Lisp programs, for a bunch of reasons related to evolvability -- > seehttp://hampshire.edu/lspector/push.htmlif you really want to know. I > prefer to work in Lisps because they make it simpler to write code that > manipulates program-like structures (however they end up being "executed") > and because I like Lisps better than most other languages for a slew of > other reasons. But my evolved code is executed on a Push interpreter > implemented in the host language and there are Push-based GP systems in many > languages (C++, Java, Javascript, Python, several Lisps). The language > choice really just affects software engineering and workflow issues, not the > fundamental power of the system to evolve/learn. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Clojure" group. > To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com > Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with > your first post. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Clojure" group. To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with your first post. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en
