... the technique of heuristic programmingis under detailed investigation as a means to the end of applying largescaledigital computers to the solution of a difficult class of problems currentlyconsidered to be beyond their capabilities; namely those problemsthat seem to require the agent of human intelligence and ingenuity fortheir solution. It is difficult to characterize such problems further, except,perhaps, to remark rather vaguely that they generally involve complexdecision processes in a potentially infinite and uncontrollable environment.If, however, we should restrict the universe of problems to those thatamount to the discovery of a proof for a theorem in some well-definedformal system, then the distinguishing characteristics of those problems ofspecial interest to us are brought clearly into focus.Proceedings of an International Conference on Information Processing. Paris:UNESCO House, 273-282.

The paper examines the extent to which a less mechanistic approach may be possible and suggests limitations that may be imposed not only by human limitations but by difficulties of correspondence and significance between machine and manual situations. 1. INTRODUCTION LET us assume that automatic data processing (A.D.P.) can do the things that we are planning for it to do at present, such as payroll, stores accounting, and statistical analyses. There will, of course, be many problems to be solved before these tasks can be regarded as satisfactorily completed, and before we can speak with confidence out of experience. But these problems do not appear to have any fundamentally insuperable content. The difficul-- ties are manmade rather than intrinsic. They originate in part from the difficulty of adjusting the organisms of office life to new rhythms, new environments, new relationships, in part from imperfect understanding and appreciation of the power and range of new techniques, and in part from a lack of perception of the limitations and deficiencies of these systems. We may reasonably suppose that, during the course of the next five years, these difficulties will be overcome and that, throughout Government Departments and Industry, there will be a growing number of installations at work on these jobs. With this perhaps over--simplified premise, it is not too early to start thinking about a possible future form of A.D.P. in Government Departments in, say, ten or fifteen years' time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR the two volumes of papers and discussions of papers from the 1959 conference held at the National Physical Laboratory, sometimes known as "The Teddington Conference". Officially these two volumes are the Proceedings of the Symposium on Mechanisation of Thought Processes. Many of the classics are downloadable separately, the remainder are available from the longer downloads of the complete volumes:Vol 1 = http://aitopics.org/sites/default/files/classic/TeddingtonConference/Mechanisation of Thought Processes Vol. 1.pdfVol. 2 = http://aitopics.org/sites/default/files/classic/TeddingtonConference/Mechanisation of Thought Processes Vol. 2.pdfTeddington Conference

"We ask first whether we need a theory of creative thinking distinct from a theory of problem solving. Subject to minor qualifications, we conclude there is no such need -- that we call problem solving creative when the problems solved are relatively new and difficult. Next, we summarize what has been learned about problem solving by simulating certain human problem solving processes with digital computers. Finally, we indicate some of the differences in degreee that might be observed in comparing relatively creative with relative routine problem solving."RAND Corporation Paper P-1320, Santa Monica, Calif

Paul G. Allen was an investor and philanthropist. He created and advanced world-class projects and high-impact initiatives that changed and improved the way people live, learn, work, and experience the world through arts, education, entertainment, sports, business, and technology. He cofounded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975 and remained the company's chief technologist until he left Microsoft in 1983. Allen founded Vulcan Inc. in 1986 and the Experience Music Project, now the Museum of Pop Culture, in 2000. With lifetime giving of about $1 billion, Allen was named one of the top philanthropists in America.

Psychological Review, Vol. 65, pp. 386 ff.

The Dawn of Dynamic Programming Richard E. Bellman (1920–1984) is best known for the invention of dynamic programming in the 1950s. During his amazingly prolific career, based primarily at The University of Southern California, he published 39 books (several of which were reprinted by Dover, including Dynamic Programming, 42809-5, 2003) and 619 papers. Despite battling the crippling effects of a brain injury, he still published 100 papers during the last eleven years of his life. He was a frequent informal advisor to Dover during the 1960s and 1970s. Professor Bellman was awarded the IEEE Medal of Honor in 1979 "for contributions to decision processes and control system theory, particularly the creation and application of dynamic programming."

Between 1946 and 1956, a number of BBC radio broadcasts were made by pioneers in the fields of computing, artificial intelligence and cybernetics. Although no sound recordings of the broadcasts survive, transcripts are held at the BBC's Written Archives Centre at Caversham in the UK. This paper is based on a study of these transcripts, which have received little attention from historians. The paper surveys the range of computer-related broadcasts during 1946-1956 and discusses some recurring themes from the broadcasts, especially the relationship of'artificial intelligence' to human intelligence.

"The modern general-purpose computer can be characterized as the embodiment of a three-point philosophy: (1) There shall exist a way of computing anything computable; (2) The computer shall be so fast that it does not matter how complicated the way is; and (3) Man shall be so intelligent that he will be able to discern the way and instruct the computer." Proceedings of the 1955 Western Joint Computer Conference, Institute of Radio Engineers, New York, pp 101-108, 1955. (Also issued as RAND Technical Report P-620.)

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