From: IN%"tcmay@got.net" 30-APR-1996 19:30:55.47
More recently, the scruffies have embraced neural nets, emergent computation, stochastic computing, genetic algorithms, and similar buzzwords. The recent work on "subsumption architectures" (a la Brooks) and agent architectures is consistent with viewpoint (though elements of logic are of course involved).
One interesting phenomenon is the in-migration of neats into formerly scruffy-only domains. For instance, take a look at the third, fourth, and fifth international conference proceedings on genetic algorithms. You've got scruffies who are just doing what feels right and seeing if it works (my viewpoint) and mathematicians/neats who are trying to derive what _should_ work the best. (Of course, there is the problem with the neat approach that it tends to oversimplify. For instance, many neat-variety equations for genetic algorithms, such as the original version of the Schema Theorem, don't take into account differing types of mutations - from a "don't care" symbol to a 0 or 1 is less of a change from a 0 to a 1.) I will be interested in seeing the more final version of this essay. -Allen