Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks about
Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks about

Author: Donald Ervin Knuth

Publisher: Stanford Univ Center for the Study

Published: 2001-01

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 9781575863276

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How does a computer scientist understand infinity? What can probability theory teach us about free will? Can mathematical notions be used to enhance one's personal understanding of the Bible? Perhaps no one is more qualified to address these questions than Donald E. Knuth, whose massive contributions to computing have led others to nickname him "The Father of Computer Science"—and whose religious faith led him to understand a fascinating analysis of the Bible called the 3:16 project. In this series of six spirited, informal lectures, Knuth explores the relationships between his vocation and his faith, revealing the unique perspective that his work with computing has lent to his understanding of God. His starting point is the 3:16 project, an application of mathematical "random sampling" to the books of the Bible. The first lectures tell the story of the project's conception and execution, exploring its many dimensions of language translation, aesthetics, and theological history. Along the way, Knuth explains the many insights he gained from such interdisciplinary work. These theological musings culminate in a surprising final lecture tackling the ideas of infinity, free will, and some of the other big questions that lie at the juncture of theology and computation. Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks About, with its charming and user-friendly format—each lecture ends with a question and answer exchange, and the book itself contains more than 100 illustrations—is a readable and intriguing approach to a crucial topic, certain to edify both those who are serious and curious about their faiths and those who look at the science of computation and wonder what it might teach them about their spiritual world. Includes "Creativity, Spirituality, and Computer Science," a panel discussion featuring Harry Lewis, Guy L. Steele, Jr., Manuela Veloso, Donald E. Knuth, and Mitch Kapor.

3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated
3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated

Author: Donald E. Knuth

Publisher: A-R Editions, Inc.

Published: 1991-01-01

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 0895792524

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What happens when a world-renowned computer scientist applies scientific methodology to studying the Bible, writes about his findings, and has some of the world's best calligraphers illustrate the work? The result is 3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated, a treasure of profound biblical insight and enchanting calligraphy that will enlighten your mind, your eyes, and your spirit. Donald E. Knuth so loved the Bible that he dedicated five years of his life to creating this masterpiece. With it, you will learn about each 3:16 verse of the Bible, how it came to be written, and how it contributes to the wholeness of the Bible. -- Publisher

Companion to the Papers of Donald Knuth
Companion to the Papers of Donald Knuth

Author: Donald Ervin Knuth

Publisher: Center for the Study of Language and Information Publica Tion

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781575866345

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Donald E. Knuth's seminal publications, such as Selected Papers on Fun and Games and Selected Paper on the Design of Algorithms, have earned him a loyal following among scholars and computer scientists, and his award-winning textbooks have becomes classics that are often given credit for shaping the field. In this volume, he explains and comments on the changes he has made to his work over the last twenty years in response to new technologies and the evolving understanding of key concepts in computer science. His commentary is supplemented by a full bibliography of his works and a number of interviews with Knuth himself, which shed light on his professional life and publications, as well as provide interesting biographical details. A giant in the field of computer science, Knuth has assembled materials that offer a full portrait of both the scientist and the man. The final volume of a series of his collected papers, Companion to the Papers of Donald Knuth is essential for the Knuth completist.

Basic Category Theory for Computer Scientists
Basic Category Theory for Computer Scientists

Author: Benjamin C. Pierce

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 1991-08-07

Total Pages: 117

ISBN-13: 0262326450

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Basic Category Theory for Computer Scientists provides a straightforward presentation of the basic constructions and terminology of category theory, including limits, functors, natural transformations, adjoints, and cartesian closed categories. Category theory is a branch of pure mathematics that is becoming an increasingly important tool in theoretical computer science, especially in programming language semantics, domain theory, and concurrency, where it is already a standard language of discourse. Assuming a minimum of mathematical preparation, Basic Category Theory for Computer Scientists provides a straightforward presentation of the basic constructions and terminology of category theory, including limits, functors, natural transformations, adjoints, and cartesian closed categories. Four case studies illustrate applications of category theory to programming language design, semantics, and the solution of recursive domain equations. A brief literature survey offers suggestions for further study in more advanced texts. Contents Tutorial • Applications • Further Reading

Think Java
Think Java

Author: Allen B. Downey

Publisher: "O'Reilly Media, Inc."

Published: 2016-05-06

Total Pages: 251

ISBN-13: 1491929537

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Currently used at many colleges, universities, and high schools, this hands-on introduction to computer science is ideal for people with little or no programming experience. The goal of this concise book is not just to teach you Java, but to help you think like a computer scientist. You’ll learn how to program—a useful skill by itself—but you’ll also discover how to use programming as a means to an end. Authors Allen Downey and Chris Mayfield start with the most basic concepts and gradually move into topics that are more complex, such as recursion and object-oriented programming. Each brief chapter covers the material for one week of a college course and includes exercises to help you practice what you’ve learned. Learn one concept at a time: tackle complex topics in a series of small steps with examples Understand how to formulate problems, think creatively about solutions, and write programs clearly and accurately Determine which development techniques work best for you, and practice the important skill of debugging Learn relationships among input and output, decisions and loops, classes and methods, strings and arrays Work on exercises involving word games, graphics, puzzles, and playing cards

Selected Papers on Fun & Games
Selected Papers on Fun & Games

Author: Donald Ervin Knuth

Publisher: Center for the Study of Language and Information Publica Tion

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781575865850

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Donald E. Knuth's influence in computer science ranges from the invention of methods for translating and defining programming languages to the creation of the TeX and METAFONT systems for desktop publishing. His award-winning textbooks have become classics that are often given credit for shaping the field, and his scientific papers are widely referenced and stand as milestones of development over a wide variety of topics. The present volume is the eighth in a series of his collected papers.

Hackers & Painters
Hackers & Painters

Author: Paul Graham

Publisher: "O'Reilly Media, Inc."

Published: 2004-05-18

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0596006624

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The author examines issues such as the rightness of web-based applications, the programming language renaissance, spam filtering, the Open Source Movement, Internet startups and more. He also tells important stories about the kinds of people behind technical innovations, revealing their character and their craft.

Artificial Unintelligence
Artificial Unintelligence

Author: Meredith Broussard

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2019-01-29

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 026253701X

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A guide to understanding the inner workings and outer limits of technology and why we should never assume that computers always get it right. In Artificial Unintelligence, Meredith Broussard argues that our collective enthusiasm for applying computer technology to every aspect of life has resulted in a tremendous amount of poorly designed systems. We are so eager to do everything digitally—hiring, driving, paying bills, even choosing romantic partners—that we have stopped demanding that our technology actually work. Broussard, a software developer and journalist, reminds us that there are fundamental limits to what we can (and should) do with technology. With this book, she offers a guide to understanding the inner workings and outer limits of technology—and issues a warning that we should never assume that computers always get things right. Making a case against technochauvinism—the belief that technology is always the solution—Broussard argues that it's just not true that social problems would inevitably retreat before a digitally enabled Utopia. To prove her point, she undertakes a series of adventures in computer programming. She goes for an alarming ride in a driverless car, concluding “the cyborg future is not coming any time soon”; uses artificial intelligence to investigate why students can't pass standardized tests; deploys machine learning to predict which passengers survived the Titanic disaster; and attempts to repair the U.S. campaign finance system by building AI software. If we understand the limits of what we can do with technology, Broussard tells us, we can make better choices about what we should do with it to make the world better for everyone.

HT THINK LIKE A COMPUTER SCIEN
HT THINK LIKE A COMPUTER SCIEN

Author: Jeffrey Elkner

Publisher: Samurai Media Limited

Published: 2016-10-04

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 9789888406784

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The goal of this book is to teach you to think like a computer scientist. This way of thinking combines some of the best features of mathematics, engineering, and natural science. Like mathematicians, computer scientists use formal languages to denote ideas (specifically computations). Like engineers, they design things, assembling components into systems and evaluating tradeoffs among alternatives. Like scientists, they observe the behavior of complex systems, form hypotheses, and test predictions. The single most important skill for a computer scientist is problem solving. Problem solving means the ability to formulate problems, think creatively about solutions, and express a solution clearly and accurately. As it turns out, the process of learning to program is an excellent opportunity to practice problem-solving skills. That's why this chapter is called, The way of the program. On one level, you will be learning to program, a useful skill by itself. On another level, you will use programming as a means to an end. As we go along, that end will become clearer.

Code
Code

Author: Charles Petzold

Publisher: Microsoft Press

Published: 2022-08-02

Total Pages: 563

ISBN-13: 0137909292

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The classic guide to how computers work, updated with new chapters and interactive graphics "For me, Code was a revelation. It was the first book about programming that spoke to me. It started with a story, and it built up, layer by layer, analogy by analogy, until I understood not just the Code, but the System. Code is a book that is as much about Systems Thinking and abstractions as it is about code and programming. Code teaches us how many unseen layers there are between the computer systems that we as users look at every day and the magical silicon rocks that we infused with lightning and taught to think." - Scott Hanselman, Partner Program Director, Microsoft, and host of Hanselminutes Computers are everywhere, most obviously in our laptops and smartphones, but also our cars, televisions, microwave ovens, alarm clocks, robot vacuum cleaners, and other smart appliances. Have you ever wondered what goes on inside these devices to make our lives easier but occasionally more infuriating? For more than 20 years, readers have delighted in Charles Petzold's illuminating story of the secret inner life of computers, and now he has revised it for this new age of computing. Cleverly illustrated and easy to understand, this is the book that cracks the mystery. You'll discover what flashlights, black cats, seesaws, and the ride of Paul Revere can teach you about computing, and how human ingenuity and our compulsion to communicate have shaped every electronic device we use. This new expanded edition explores more deeply the bit-by-bit and gate-by-gate construction of the heart of every smart device, the central processing unit that combines the simplest of basic operations to perform the most complex of feats. Petzold's companion website, CodeHiddenLanguage.com, uses animated graphics of key circuits in the book to make computers even easier to comprehend. In addition to substantially revised and updated content, new chapters include: Chapter 18: Let's Build a Clock! Chapter 21: The Arithmetic Logic Unit Chapter 22: Registers and Busses Chapter 23: CPU Control Signals Chapter 24: Jumps, Loops, and Calls Chapter 28: The World Brain From the simple ticking of clocks to the worldwide hum of the internet, Code reveals the essence of the digital revolution.