This book guides students through an exploration of the idea that thinking might be understood as a form of computation. Students make the connection between thinking and computing by learning to write computer programs for a variety of tasks that require thought, including solving puzzles, understanding natural language, recognizing objects in visual scenes, planning courses of action, and playing strategic games. The material is presented with minimal technicalities and is accessible to undergraduate students with no specialized knowledge or technical background beyond high school mathematics. Students use Prolog (without having to learn algorithms: “Prolog without tears!”), learning to express what they need as a Prolog program and letting Prolog search for answers.

After an introduction to the basic concepts, Thinking as Computation offers three chapters on Prolog, covering back-chaining, programs and queries, and how to write the sorts of Prolog programs used in the book. The book follows this with case studies of tasks that appear to require thought, then looks beyond Prolog to consider learning, explaining, and propositional reasoning. Most of the chapters conclude with short bibliographic notes and exercises. The book is based on a popular course at the University of Toronto and can be used in a variety of classroom contexts, by students ranging from first-year liberal arts undergraduates to more technically advanced computer science students.

About the Author

Hector J. Levesque is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto. He is the author of Common Sense, the Turing Test, and the Quest for Real AI, coauthor (with Gerhard Lakemeyer) of The Logic of Knowledge Bases, and coeditor (with Ronald J. Brachman) of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, all three published by the MIT Press.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We carry a comprehensive range of out of print and rare books.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Kennys Bookshops and Art Galleries Limited
Liosban Industrial Estate, Tuam Road, Galway, GY, Ireland

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks websites.

If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund within 30 days of the estimated delivery date.

For any queries please use the contact seller link or send an email to books@kennys.ie

Conor Kenny

Shipping Terms

All books securely packaged. Some books ship from Ireland.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	14 to 20 business days	13 to 14 business days
First item	US$ 10.50	US$ 21.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.