Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #00118
To: "'Justin'" jaf60@student.canterbury.ac.nz, beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Wilf Rigter Wilf.Rigter@powertech.bc.ca
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 10:10:05 -0800
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: BEAM classification
Very nicely put Justin!
I look for the same defining quality in BEAM circuits that gives rise to the
exquisite
(emergent) complexity of the Mandelbrot set from a simple equations.
Now if Mandelbrot had patented his formula, he'd be making a fortune from
posters alone.
wilf
Wilf Rigter mailto:wilf.rigter@powertech.bc.ca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Justin [SMTP:jaf60@student.canterbury.ac.nz]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 1999 5:47 AM
> To: beam@corp.sgi.com
> Subject: Re: BEAM classification
>
> > What is the classification of a BEAM robot?
>
> I would suggest the philosophy behind the robot, rather than the robot
> itself, would be the most defining feature.
>
> Classifing a robot by what it is (or contains, or makes use of, etc) or
> by what it isn't (or doesn't contain, etc) would be a mistake, and
> inherently limits what BEAM can be or achieve.
>
> And of course, we don't live in a black in white world, so there will be
> bots that involve BEAM, but not exclusively (eg, assuming my
> philosophy-up approach, other philosophies might have been used in
> addition to BEAM philosophies), so there are no easy answers, I'd
> definitely shy away from classifying based on the features of the robot.
> That sort of classification system, when used in biology (before
> evolutionary classification) was quite problematic and only able to work
> because there was this enormous (unknown) evolutionary process linking
> the related critters.
>
> You might consider classifying something as "BEAM" to be more like
> classifying something as "art", than classifying something as "insect".
> No classification of art that is based on the properties of the artwork
> has ever been even remotely sucessful. Some classifications that seek
> other ways to classify art have been more successful, but the art world
> is a bit like software security - if you come up with a definition, it's
> just going to inspire artists to find some way to break the
> definition... :-)
>
> Seeya
> Justin
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