Amnon Eden Letter

 From:   Amnon H. Eden, mailto:eden@math.tau.ac.il
 TO:     Kent Beck, 70761,1216
 DATE:   10-09-96 01:19 PM

Among other things, Yehuda (Elkana, that's his name) lectures that much of today's western scientific research employs "epic" reasoning, which values novelty, formalisms and vigorous logic, and pretends to ascend cultural differences and even the human nature itself.

Yehuda claimed that although belittled by many, a lot of important work is done by disciplines that employ "Metis"; it is a Greek word that means "complex but coherent ... intellectual behavior which combines flair, wisdom, ... various skills and experience acquired over the years." It is a quote from one of his works and if you are not bored with the idea I will be happy to lead you to the resources. Among other's, metic reasoning is said to be used by layers and engineers.

Isn't it what you were saying when you referred to yourself as a "scholar rather than a scientist"?

I think that PLoP and the Hillside group form a fascinating example to how the academy and a group of "bitsmith"s collaborate in a fashion that is entirely "metic" in its nature. That is, in a delightedly non-traditional scientific format that is of great interest to many more that those directly involved in it. And by way of great interest, I think that the enormous interest in the patterns movement expressed within the entire software industry only proves that this type of "scholastic" pattern of thinking has great values and effect even on the (sometimes pompous) academy.

Hope to meet again in the near future,

Amnon

 Amnon H. Eden                            | Web: http://www.math.tau.ac.il/~eden
 Software Designer, Consultant            |           email: eden@math.tau.ac.il
 Specialist in Object Oriented Technology |       Department of Computer Science
 Phone:(+972 3) 6470907   Fax: 6484570    | School of Math., Tel Aviv University
 P.O.Box 53387 Tel Aviv 61533 Israel      |               Tel Aviv 69978, Israel