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Prof. Sussman's Reading List

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31–40 of 78 posts

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#31
post #25

Interesting to see Stranger in a Strange Land on his list. It shows up quite often on top lists of sci-fi books and Heinlein books. I'm halfway through it, after reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Stranger in a Strange Land is certainly the weaker book so far in my opinion.

As I struggle to wade through it, I wonder why it was ever as popular as it once was. What is it about this book that make so many people recommend it?

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#32
post #25

Interesting to see Stranger in a Strange Land on his list. It shows up quite often on top lists of sci-fi books and Heinlein books. I'm halfway through it, after reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Stranger in a Strange Land is certainly the weaker book so far in my opinion.

I've read Stranger once. It was OK (to me).

I read Time Enough for Love every few years. Each time I can't wait for enough years to go by until I've forgotten enough to read it again.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Enough_for_Love

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#33
post #32
post #25

Interesting to see Stranger in a Strange Land on his list. It shows up quite often on top lists of sci-fi books and Heinlein books. I'm halfway through it, after reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Stranger in a Strange Land is certainly the weaker book so far in my opinion.

I've read Stranger once. It was OK (to me). I read Time Enough for Love every few years. Each time I can't wait for enough years to go by until I've forgotten enough to read it again. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Enough_for_Love

I also read Time Enough for Love every few years. I've owned and read and loved much of Heinlein's work over my life, but it's the one that's stuck with me for the past decade.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#34
post #25

Interesting to see Stranger in a Strange Land on his list. It shows up quite often on top lists of sci-fi books and Heinlein books. I'm halfway through it, after reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Stranger in a Strange Land is certainly the weaker book so far in my opinion.

As I struggle to wade through it, I wonder why it was ever as popular as it once was. What is it about this book that make so many people recommend it?

Same thing as Ayn Rand - gibberish philosophy that appeals very strongly to the teenager who thinks that they are the special one.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#36
post #14

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.)

Yes, I've been doing this for a while and I think it just might be working.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#37
post #14

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.)

SICP in Middle School! who are you ? Please start working on fusion if you are not already.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#39
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

He could care a great deal less about it.

Re: Prof. Sussman's Reading List

#40
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.

Why do find psychology to be speculation? Do they not use empiricism in their studies (maybe not all of them)?

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