The Computer and Information Sciences: A New Basic Discipline Author(s): Saul Gorn Reviewed work(s): Source: SIAM

Review, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Apr., 1963), pp. 150-155 Published by: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2027479 . Accessed: 13/06/2012 23:20
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SIAM REovIEw Vol. 5, No. 2, April,1963 Printed in U.S.A.

THE COMPUTER AND INFORMATION A NEW BASIC DISCIPLINE* SAUL GORNt

INTRODUCTION

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is emerging which IT IS THE BELIEF OF THE AUTHOR that a new basic discipline Sciences". This fieldmakes mightbe called "The Computerand Information philosophy, applicationof conceptsfromthe traditionalfieldsof mathematics, managementscience, libraryscience, etc. engineering, linguistics, psychology, it has, inreturn, applicationsto otherdisciplines, disciplines Like all well-defined Examples of generaltopicsof studyin it and especiallyto thosejust mentioned. intelligence, systems, computersystemdesign,artificial mightbe programming theory of Shannon retrieval,etc. The probabilisticinformation information clearlybelongs to this area, but there is a theoryof mechanisticinformation whichmustalso be included.Thus a centraltopic in the new and its processing and analysisof mechanicallanguagesand their would be the synthesis discipline processors. To justifythe beliefsand attitudesjust expressedrequiresseveral types of consideration. of First of all one should describein reasonable depth some characteristics the new discipline.This we will do by discussing'mechanicallanguages', with concerned. whichthe authorhas been directly the new area from the closely Secondly,one shoulddescribehow to distinguish related ones with reasonable sharpness.How would one know, for example, whethera student'sattitudesplace him in this area ratherthan in one of the does he need to go intothisnew area deeply, ones? What background established differ and does this background appreciablyfromthat needed in any one of the otherareas? Finally one should estimatehow such a new disciplinecan be expectedto of establisheddisciplines.There are most develop in the presentenvironment in its acceptancein such environments. certainly politicalproblems
* Received by the editorsDecember 17, 1962and in revisedformFebruary16, 1963. Education 62: Session50, Panel Discussionon University to the IFIP Congress Presented 1, 1962.Anabstract August27-September at Munich,Germany, Processing in Information of this Congress. of thispaper will appear in the Proceedings supportedby the U. S. workon mechanicallanguageswas originally The background to the University 1958to 1960underContractDA-36-039-SC-74047 SignalCorpsfrom Army of Pennsylvania'sInstituteforCooperativeResearchand The Moore School ofElectrical from theNational Science Thisworkwas also madepossibleby a joint support Engineering. of Scientific Research (AF-49(638)-951), the Air Force Office Foundation (NSF-G-14096), sponsoredby the Rome Air DevelopmentCenter,Griffiss and ContractAF-30(602)-2382 AirForce Base, Rome,N. Y. Unit Mechanical Languages Projects, The Moore School of Electrical Engineering, Philadelphia. ofPennsylvania, versity
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MECHANICAL LANGUAGES

The studyofmechanical languagesis concerned withthe synthesis and analysis of symbols,and with the synthesis of systemsof arrangements and analysis of processorswhich generate,recognize,translate,and generallyinterpret such systemsin variousways. The symbolsmay be any kindsof signalswhichmay be sensed,whether they or motor;or whether be visual,aural,tactile,olfactory theybe electrical, electroor whatever. magnetic, mechanical, heat, bodilymotions, of the signalsmay be in timeor space or both. The signals The arrangements may be continuousor discrete.Their interpretation may proceed purely sequentiallyor by an interlocking processwithmanypartialinterpretations going on simultaneously. The arrangements of the signals may be linear,as on this as in multicolored page, or in multidimensional form, diagrams, tabularformats, etc. Thus, musicand dancingmightbe considered languagesby some,but, in any and the choreographic event, the score of a symphony, notationalscore of a ofprocesses)in multidimensional, dance are examplesofprograms (specifications simultaneous-acting, digital,mechanicallanguages. Mechanical languages are inventedto approximate, and symbolizeapproximations of, processesabout which communication is desired.Their generation are also processes, and interpretation, however, and, as such,also need specification in some language or languages,preferably mechanical.The most cleverly designedmechanical languagesseemto be such that theyevoke,psychologically, an automaticcomparisonbetweenthe interpretive processesin the mechanical language itselfand the main processes that that language was invented to An exampleheremight be the multidimensional symbolize. languageofstructural in chemistry. formulae This psychological, betweenthe linguistic thoughvague, isomorphism interpretationprocessand the processesthe language was mainlydesignedto symbolize may even carryover to the study of natural languages. In any event, to do with various phenomenawhich have become apparent it has something recentlybecause of the manifoldmechanicallanguages inventedto deal with machinesin a varietyof applicationsand for generalpurposedigitalcomputing a varietyof usersand audiences: a. No matterhow well adapted a mechanicallanguage is in its ability to be a desireto symbolize objects to a certainaudience,therewill inevitably moreobjects and to somewhatdifferent audiences. symbolize b. No matter how many processes a mechanical language can 'simulate', different therewillalwaysbe a desireto have it simulatemoreand somewhat processes. are available within a mechanihowmanyinterpretive c. No matter processors of appropriate symbol cal language for the generationand recognition moresuch processors will be demanded. arrangements, inevitably and capability d. The morea mechanical languagehas in the way offlexibility

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will be the desuch as forreasonsa, b, or c above, the greater of growth, and capabilityof growth. mandsforadditionalflexibility operate on requirements Thus many of the same forcesin communication mechanicallanguages as they do on naturallanguages.The resultseems to be alreadypossessedby languagestendto developmanyproperties that mechanical naturallanguages,namely: of symbolsto be new arrangements a. A tendencyto grow by permitting and interpreted. generated new symbolsto be introduced. to growby permitting b. A tendency repreof the symbols, new interpreters to growby permitting c. A tendency thisis achievedby somebasic often to be introduced; newprocesses, senting out of smaller bigger interpreters standard assembly processes forming interpreters. component to and interpreters d. A tendencyto permitclustersof symbolarrangements forspecializedareas and specializedaudiences. formsublanguages of any area, and for in its expressiveness e. A tendencytoward universality (any computationof any audience, and of any process of interpretation manner). computablein any convenient anything thereis the tendency of this tendencytowarduniversality, f. As a corollary processors of the linguistic and expression towardcapabilityof generation forthe languageto be selfIn otherwords,thereis a tendency themselves. referencing. there is the g. As another corollaryof this tendencytoward universality to tendencyfor the language to develop the ability permitanalysis and processes;the resultis a tendencyfor the of its own linguistic synthesis one to make statements language to includeits own syntaxin two forms, We will call thisa (foranalysis),and one to make demands (forsynthesis). syntax'. command and to developa 'mixeddescriptive tendency is the tendencyto h. A finalcorollaryof the tendencytoward universality may have differand paradoxes; the same expressions develop ambiguities contextsby different in ent 'meanings'by having themselvesprocessed expressions different have the same 'meanings'may interpreters; different from processors translation possess may sublanguages,which in different and sometimes usefully be shifted, may one to another; interpretations from far become may and the meaninglessness meaninglessly, sometimes enoughto exif the language has become powerful obvious. In summary, nonof expressing be capable also must it computable, press everything must it every computation, to specify enough sense; and if it is powerful which will never produce. As computations also be capable of specifying it becomesincapableof to be universal, enough soon as it becomespowerful to the responsibility user in the therefore generates and being fool-proof, use it properly. of mechanicallanguagesalone,that a discipline thisdiscussion It is clearfrom philosophy, ofareas in each ofmathematics, a number is involvedwhichmustuse

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linguistics, psychology, and engineering. It seems to me equally clear that each of these disciplines could expect in returnmuch that they could apply in their own problems. But, havingindicatedthe area of study,we mustnow showhow to distinguish it from others.Otherwise we have onlymarkedit as beinginterdisciplinary.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW AREA AND THE RELATED DISCIPLINES

We can dividethecharacteristics the Computer and Information distinguishing in attitude and Sciences into roughlytwo areas, namely essential differences in background requirements. essential differences Let us consider attitudes first. It is reallynot too difficult to distinguish a person'smain interest whether is in and information scienceor whether it is in one ofthe relateddisciplines. computer For example,a mathematician like Gauss was well knownto be able to think on one occasionlikea puremathematician differential (number theory, geometry, etc.) and on otheroccasionslike an applied mathematician (Physics,Astronomy, wherehe developed Statistics, etc.). But besideshis activityin puremathematics, abstracttheoriestendingto be purelysyntacticand independent formalized of semanticcontent,and besides his activityin applied mathematics, wherethe ofthe concepts(e.g. electrostatic semanticcontent charge)wereofdirectconcern he had a pragmaticconcernwith the designof psychoand not to be ignored, in number logicallyclevernotation(e.g. the notationforcongruence theory)and clever psychologically computational procedures(e.g. tabular arrangements and proceduresfor solvingleast square approximation problems,large systemsof of estimating linearequations,problems errors, etc.). Now I am sure all mathematicianswill agree that, althoughhis symbolicand proceduralcleverness was just what one might expectof Gauss, it was not as such a mathematical activity. but it seems to me that it was not even Clearly it was not pure mathematics, An appliedmathematician is concerned appliedmathematics. about themeanings of the symbolsand expressions he uses, but he expects these meaningsto be ofthe useror interpreter ofthe expressions, independent whether theybe human or mechanical.He may grantthat a certainnotationis clumsy, but he does not considersuch a judgmentto be a centrally germaneone to his subject. and Information The Computer Sciencesdoes consider the pragmatic question of the relation of symbolsto users and interpreters a central issue, even as and engineering must. linguistics, psychology, philosophy Thus a studentof numerical analysis who designsor studiesan algorithm is if his only concernis its existenceor validity;he like a mathematician thinking scientist ifhe considers it a processor is thinking like a computer and information and is concerned withits efficiency, and control, tabularlayout or storage timing as the allocation,etc. In the latter case his concernis not purelyextensional, withthe 'intent'as well. philosophers put it; he is concerned a studentof a procedurewhich exhibitsadaptive controlakin to Similarly, ifhis main concern like a psychologist is whether he has a intelligence is thinking

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intelabout artificial good model of the behaviorof some animal; he is thinking about science,ifhe is onlyconcerned and information a topicin computer ligence, whether it is like someanimalbehavioror not. element, as a control its usefulness is thinking like a linguist or recognitional grammar A studentof a generative if his main concernis whethera natural language actually worksthat way, or scientistif his like a computerand information grewthat way; he is thinking that controlled systemcan be efficiently an information is whether main concern controlled storage about a push-down way. Thus the linguistmay be concerned span that thisis thelocal memory beingno deeperthan sevensincesomeconsider would not necessarily. scientist of a human; an information mechanism who is concernedabout whethersome A studentof a processing to cut down its portionof it has enoughpowerto driveit, or enoughresistance ifhis only concernis the logical purpose like an engineer; sensitivity is thinking in information and timing,he is thinking theirscheduling of the components, science. be and information retrieval systemmight Finally,a studentof an abstracting and or like a computer scientist, like a linguist, like a library thinking primarily information scientist.It all depends on whetherhis primaryconcernis with they could act that way, or whether humansact that way, or whether whether may not even be human. of the information the recipient in attitudesand purposes.Considernow the disSo muchforthe distinction background. tinction by necessary at the Moore School Sciences curriculum In the Computerand Information of Pennsylvania,it is assumed that the University of Electrical Engineering, studenthas had a backgroundin logic, and in abstract algebra; adentering vanced analysisis neededifthe studentwillhave to go moredeeplyintonumeridegree with a major in either cal analysis. Also assumed is an undergraduate or psychology. linguistics, one ofthe physicalsciences, philosophy, mathematics, mathematics but willconhas gonedeeplyintoundergraduate Eitherthe student anotherarea but is expected area, or he comesfrom tinuein a non-mathematical frommathematicswhich that area does not require. In to have information acquire the basic conceptsof digital computers addition he must immediately which none of these other of computerprogramming, and the basic principles areas requires. the case forthe distinction. This completes
THE EXPECTED DEVELOPMENT IN VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTS

universitieshave appeared in The computer oriented people in different In some universities such a core has appeared clustersin different departments. especiallyif therehas been a strongtrawithinthe mathematics department, At otheruniversities in that environment. such a ditionof applied mathematics of if,as at the University core may have collectedin the school of engineering, of computer exists.Othersmight a strong tradition development Pennsylvania, wheretherewas a have such a group turning up in a philosophydepartment of logic and logical semantics.In some places in the foundations stronginterest

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structural linguists and psychologists have joined together. Such activitieshave even been underthe aegis of a physicsdepartment, or a department of statistics, or a school of businessadministration. (The situationin Europe, for example, wherethe strong departmental structure does not existin the Americanpattern, is, ofcourse,quite different.) It is naturalforeach environment to have such an activityemerging wherethe core of interested people happen to be located. But can such a rapidlygrowing disciplinewith clearlydifferent interests and requirements continueindefinitely to be carriedin an essentially different environment whereaccidenthas caused it to gestate? Would not the mother discipline of the particular environment eventually have to limitthe nourishment it can afford to provideto such a growing childifit is not to limitits own growth and development? In such a case the new discipline would have to be able to fendforitself. Like all disciplinesat a university, the Computerand Information Sciences would have to providegeneraleducationof the liberalarts type in its area, and advanced specializededucationforthose takingup the subject in a professional way. But thisnew discipline mustalso providea thirdtypeof education,namely 'tool courses'foruse in manydisciplines. In thisrespectit is in the same position as mathematics and the department concernedwith the mothertongue of the Such a three-fold university. function impliesa large department which could soon starveits mother. This is especiallythe case ifthe activityis asked to support and maintain expensiveequipmentand related personnelfor the whole university. (However,many,including the author,believe such a policv to be a mistake.) It seemsto me that such a development will,willy-nilly, have to stabilize,and when it does therewill be a completely new department forthe new responsible discipline.