[Edu-sig] False alarms

[Perry Grossman]

plus 1: math = math + cs

On Sat, Jul 7, 2018, 12:00 PM <edu-sig-request at python.org> wrote:

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>    1. false alarms? (kirby urner)
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> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2018 10:57:05 -0700
> From: kirby urner <kirby.urner at gmail.com>
> To: "edu-sig at python.org" <edu-sig at python.org>
> Subject: [Edu-sig] false alarms?
> Message-ID:
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> CAPJgG3T3MFbL5AABOhzGm9P5fA49H72+vh+FrokO5Z3mqCpjpA at mail.gmail.com>
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>
> Apropos of earlier discussions that
> ?assignment in ?
> Python is about giving names to objects,
> ?and ?
> not putting those objects in boxes, here's a blog post raising the alarm
> that Python (among others) is "completely incompatible with mathematics".
>
>
> https://blogs.ams.org/matheducation/2017/01/09/integrating-computer-science-in-math-the-potential-is-great-but-so-are-the-risks/
>
> Excerpt:
>
> ===
>
> Making matters worse, programming languages like Java, JavaScript, Python,
> Scratch and Alice all rely on the concept of assignment. Assignment means
> that a value is ?stored in a box?, and that the value in that box can be
> changed. Here?s a simple JavaScript program that demonstrates this:
>
> x = 10
>
> x = x + 2
>
> The first line of code assigns the value 10 into a box named ?x?. The
> second line reads the value back out, adds 2, and assigns the new value
> back into x. When the program finishes, x contains the value 12.
> Unfortunately, the semantics and syntax are completely incompatible with
> mathematics! In math, names are given to values, not boxes.
>
> ===
>
> Following Kenneth Iverson, I think pre-computer math notations (MN) could
> benefit a lot from an infusion of ideas from these newer executable
> languages.
>
> He turns around the criticism of x = x + 2 by pointing out the ambiguity on
> in conventional math notation (MN):
>
> ===
> MN uses the symbol = for a relation, but also uses it for assignment, as in
> the expression (Let) x=3. Again, to denote these two distinct notions
> without ambiguity, programming languages use distinct notation (that
> usually includes the symbol =), as in := (in ALGOL), and =: (in J).
> ===
>
> http://www.jsoftware.com/papers/camn.htm
>
> Drawing a line in the sand and saying "on this side is programming" whereas
> "on this other side is math notation", seems more a bureaucratic maneuver
> than anything.
>
> There's a protection racket going on where self-appointed authorities are
> planning to warn us against "doing it wrong" i.e. not their way.  Many
> bogus certifications will follow.  Not that we shouldn't have standards.
> The question is who's.
>
> math = math + cs
>
> Kirby
> ?
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