Princeton University, Computer Science Department Colloquium Series
Title:
Changing Paradigms: Comparing Chemical Engineering with Computer Science
Speaker:
- Professor James Wei
- Princeton University
Place:
- Room 105, Small Auditorium
- 35 Olden Street, Computer Science Building
- Princeton University
Time:
- 4:00 PM
- Wednesday, October 11, 1995
- (Tea served at 3:00 p.m., Tea Room (2nd Floor))
Abstract:
In the words of Thomas Kuhn, a "paradigm" is the central canon of an
intellectual discipline, a set of generally agreed upon concepts and tools
that are widely applicable in solving important problems, examples of
triumphant solutions that should be taught to all the students, textbooks,
professional societies, specialized journals, handbooks, and accreditation.
The reviewers of a journal manuscript or a research proposal pass judgement
on whether this is a legitimate research problem, and whether this is a
legitimate solution, based on the paradigm. A more mature intellectual
discipline such as Chemical Engineering has many of these attributes
accumulated after one hundred years; a more youthful intellectual discipline
such as Computer Science is beginning to accumulate them. For instance,
Joel Moses said that "There is no such subject as Computer Science". However,
the really big breakthroughs in a discipline are not investigations around
the edges of known successes, but in starting a new paradigm and Springtime.
Host: Andrew Yao
Document last modified on October 4, 1995