Prof. Sussman's Reading List • Hacker News Board

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#11

Post by pjungwir » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 12:37 AM UTC

abc_lisper wrote: post #2

Quantum Computing since Democritus in high school reading list is very heavy. I have had Theory of Computation class in college and I can't read 20 pages of that book.

I'm reading QCsD right now and loving it. But in high school? That sounds crazy. It'd help a lot to already understand Godel's proof, big-O notation, and P-vs-NP. Also relativity and quantum mechanics. And maybe some group theory.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#12

Post by jeffreyrogers » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 12:39 AM UTC

Do people actually read all the books they recommend? I often tell people books are good, esp. books on some mathematical topic, without having read the entire thing myself, just selected parts as my inclination takes me. In fact, there are almost no textbooks I've read straight through.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#13

Post by randomnumber53 » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 12:47 AM UTC

abc_lisper wrote: post #2

Quantum Computing since Democritus in high school reading list is very heavy. I have had Theory of Computation class in college and I can't read 20 pages of that book.

I'm a current HS senior who took a Theory of Computation class the year prior, and I got a few chapters into QCSD before realizing that I needed to learn some more about complexity theory before I read that book. I'm planning on trying again once the summer begins.

Now I'm about half-way through Godel, Esher, Bach, and I have to say that GEB and QCSD feel similar, with an overlap not only in theme but also in genre and style.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#14

Post by derefr » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 12:55 AM UTC

abc_lisper wrote: post #2

Quantum Computing since Democritus in high school reading list is very heavy. I have had Theory of Computation class in college and I can't read 20 pages of that book.

On the other hand, if you treat each page, each statement as something you have to completely internalize before moving onto the next page—including looking up all the prerequisite topics recursively on Wikipedia or in other texts—you might just end up teaching yourself up to college-level math while still in high school.

(I didn't do this myself with QCD, but I very nearly did it with SICP in middle school.)

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#15

Post by peregrine » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 1:01 AM UTC

abc_lisper wrote: post #2

Quantum Computing since Democritus in high school reading list is very heavy. I have had Theory of Computation class in college and I can't read 20 pages of that book.

I think he meant emphasis on "High" meaning high schooling. Not "high school"

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#16

Post by kiba » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 1:07 AM UTC

derefr wrote: post #14

abc_lisper wrote: post #2

Quantum Computing since Democritus in high school reading list is very heavy. I have had Theory of Computation class in college and I can't read 20 pages of that book.

On the other hand, if you treat each page, each statement as something you have to completely internalize before moving onto the next page—including looking up all the prerequisite topics recursively on Wikipedia or in other texts—you might just end up teaching yourself up to college-level math while still in high school. (I didn't do this myself with QCD, but I very nearly did it with SICP in middle school.)

I wish I can manage that level of self motivation while in high school.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#17

Post by Retra » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 1:19 AM UTC

peregrine wrote: post #15

abc_lisper wrote: post #2

Quantum Computing since Democritus in high school reading list is very heavy. I have had Theory of Computation class in college and I can't read 20 pages of that book.

I think he meant emphasis on "High" meaning high schooling. Not "high school"

That would be a very unusual phrasing if that is true.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#18

Post by nichochar » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 1:22 AM UTC

_tqr3 wrote: post #3

I cannot recommend 'The Society of Mind' enough. This was my first book before diving into Cognitive Science. Although it is mostly psychology(i.e.speculation), it is a brilliant book with insights and ideas.

I'm confused, you recommend it? Or you don't

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#19

Post by lgas » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 1:34 AM UTC

nichochar wrote: post #18

_tqr3 wrote: post #3

I cannot recommend 'The Society of Mind' enough. This was my first book before diving into Cognitive Science. Although it is mostly psychology(i.e.speculation), it is a brilliant book with insights and ideas.

I'm confused, you recommend it? Or you don't

I think perhaps you missed the "enough" after the parenthetical. He recommends it highly.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#20

Post by jfe » Tue, Apr 21, 2015, 1:42 AM UTC

jeffreyrogers wrote: post #12

Do people actually read all the books they recommend? I often tell people books are good, esp. books on some mathematical topic, without having read the entire thing myself, just selected parts as my inclination takes me. In fact, there are almost no textbooks I've read straight through.

I don't read whatever people recommend to me; I prioritize what's available based on what I think will have the greatest impact on me. But whatever I do read, I try to read it all the way through. Books have layers, like an onion. Each time you read a book, you peel back another layer of meaning. The first time I read a book, I don't let myself get hung up on what I don't understand; I just keep reading until I've reached the end. Then, if the book is really worth re-reading, I'll do it, and pay more attention to the details. You can get through a lot of tough material that way, and get 85-90% of the benefits as you would just sitting there, trying to grok every. Single. Word.