Building Blocks

relevant links

The Pattern on the Stone, Chs 1-3

Daniel Hillis, 2015

https://www.jamillson.com/uploads/1/1/9/6/119679844/[w._daniel_hillis]_the_pattern_on_the_stone__the_s_z-lib.org_.pdf

response

2. Finite-state machines sound like an executive function hack for your brain. I always break activities down into their simplest actions, and plan around them the way a register would: looking at what the end result should be, considering what is coming up(input) and what my current energy level is(current state). I do not, however, have a timing input, but I feel like my life would be easier if I did.

1. The binary logic of yes or no makes sense, but I think that’s only because I learned binary so early in my computer science endeavor. Or maybe it’s because autistic people are very literal and binary thinkers, themselves? Even so, I don’t think I can quite get behind this idea of humans being completely replicable with technology. I understand the comparison of decision and functions, actions and switches, etc, but there’s always been a confusing factor of ambiguity with people. In my experience at least, there’s too many variables that can alter someone’s perceptions and behaviors. As curious as I am to see how that person made of switchboards and tubes would look, any actions it performed would never be made with its own bias or emotional reaction. A purely logical decision would be missing a lot of human variables. Just like in coding, too many variables with too little context leads to errors!

3. I’ve had the opportunity to dabble in a lot of coding languages; Python, Java, JavaScript, R, Assembly. They all have similarities, obviously, and follow logical patterns and common parameters. However I did notice that some languages have more similar syntax, and seem to be written in a more ‘colloquial’ way. Assembly was incredibly difficult for me to study and this author’s breakdown only helped a little. The variables and operations of this language are incredibly technical and hard to organize. Java and JavaScript are actually my favorite languages, partly because of the focus on more efficient aesthetics. I’ve always preferred editing over blatant creation – I like to see what I’m starting with and figure out what I could make from there. I don’t see myself doing a lot of code-heavy art, but it is a style I find interesting, and an interesting intersection of programmer and computer understanding.

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