[FRIAM] Fwd: ABM (Object-Oriented)

Sun Jun 3 15:03:16 EDT 2007

Hi,

I've been dealing with this issue in semantic networks. Semantic  
networks tend to be used for "descriptive" purposes. This is  
analogous to the structural aspects of a system. However, I've been  
interested in encoding the more "procedural" aspects of a system into  
the semantic network.

http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/~okram/papers/semantic-turing.pdf

BTW: I really enjoyed that last email. Its nice to see this strong  
distinction in other domains as well.

Marko.

On Jun 3, 2007, at 1:34 PM, Robert Lancaster wrote:

> Many thanks for the best distinction of structural and object  
> oriented languages I have ever seen.  Big help for someone with a  
> very elementary understanding of the art.  (I had just read the  
> WIKI definition with the result which you predict.)
>
> Bob L.
>
> On Jun 2, 2007, at 11:50 AM, Robert Howard wrote:
>
>> That WIKI definition will leave you confused if you’re learning OO  
>> for the first time.
>>
>>
>>
>> Here’s a hard physical-sciences analogy:
>>
>> In physics, you have Statics and Dynamics.
>> In biology, you have Anatomy and Physiology.
>> In molecular biology, you have Structure and Function.
>> In languages, you have Nouns and Verbs.
>> In chaos theory, you have the system (e.g. a differential  
>> equation), and its phase space.
>> In general, you have the part that doesn’t change, and the part  
>> that does.
>>
>>
>> In computers, you also have the part that doesn’t change.  
>> Depending on the vernacular context, these static parts are called  
>> a Types, Structures, Schema, Address locations, Code/Instruction  
>> Libraries, and Classes.
>>
>> You also have the part that does change. Again, depending on the  
>> circle of nomenclature, these dynamic parts are called Values,  
>> State, Execution/Run, and Objects.
>>
>>
>>
>> When talking about code, the actual instructions are the static  
>> part, and stored in memory (or disk).
>>
>> The actual execution of this code is the dynamic part and run by a  
>> processor (or virtual runtime environment).
>>
>>
>>
>> A dynamic part always presupposes a static part. You cannot  
>> understand a VERB unless a NOUN is implied. One must study anatomy  
>> first before physiology; numbers before functions; etc.
>>
>>
>>
>> Programming languages, like mathematics, is a method for humans to  
>> transmit these concepts and ideas to other humans via an alphabet  
>> or symbolic scheme.
>>
>> Compilers transform programming languages into that which a  
>> computer can understand. This is how computational science goes  
>> one step further than mathematics.
>>
>>
>>
>> All languages (programming, mathematical, and natural) must model  
>> both the statics and the dynamics of their system when describing it.
>>
>> Natural languages combine “nouns” and “verbs” to get sentences— 
>> their smallest unit of information.
>>
>> Programming languages combine “structures” and “code” to get  
>> functions. A subroutine is a function with no return value.
>>
>>
>>
>> Different naturally languages have different syntax. German ends  
>> sentences with verbs. English puts them closer to the beginning.
>>
>>
>>
>> Programming languages have similar analogies too.
>>
>> “Structured programming languages” (Pascal, C, FORTRAN, LISP)  
>> begin with functions that operate on specific structures (called  
>> parameters). They are verb-oriented in nature.
>>
>> “Object-oriented programming languages (Java, C#, CLOS) begin with  
>> structures (called classes) that send messages to methods. They  
>> are noun-oriented in nature.
>>
>>
>>
>> In a structured programming language, I might write: FLIP(Pancake,  
>> Quickly)
>>
>> In an object-oriented programming language, I would write  
>> Pancake.FLIP(Quickly)
>>
>>
>>
>> For an English analogy, we have an obvious noun (the subject)  
>> called Pancake. There’s a verb: To Flip. We have parameters that  
>> we pass in to the function call to modify its behavior. If the  
>> parameter is a constant, like Quickly, we call it an adverb. If it  
>> is another object, we call it a direct object, or indirect object,  
>> or prepositional object—depending on its English use. Properties  
>> of an object are called adjectives.
>>
>>
>>
>> When you see a declaration in code that looks like this  
>> (regardless of whether it’s structured or OO): int i = 5 … to  
>> declare an integer called “i" that contains the value 5, int is  
>> the class (or structure, or type) and i is the object. 5 is the  
>> initial state of the object. If you want to convert this number to  
>> a string in a structured programming language, you might write  
>> this: ToString(i)
>>
>> To do the same in an object-oriented language, you’d write  
>> i.ToString()
>>
>>
>>
>> It’s all syntax! Just like there is nothing in English I can’t say  
>> in German, there’s no system modeled in an object-oriented  
>> programming language that I cannot express in a structured  
>> programming one.
>>
>>
>>
>> In case you read articles on the net, here are some vocabulary use  
>> cases:
>>
>> “Classes” store the static non-changing parts of a system in  
>> memory (or disk). Classes contain static structures (or types)  
>> called “fields” or “attributes”, and static code called “methods”.
>> “Objects” are classes that are being run by the processor (or the  
>> virtual runtime environment). Their fields (called “properties”)  
>> have actual values (the dynamic parts). This is why we say that  
>> “objects have state”.
>> The same class can be copied into memory multiple times (called  
>> instances, or just objects) each being submitted to a processor  
>> and each having different state. This is why we say that “objects  
>> have identity”.
>> Every method in a class operates on a specific object instance of  
>> it. This is why we say that “objects have behavior”. When a  
>> “method” is executed, it is called a “message”.
>> Static methods; dynamic messages. Static fields (or attributes);  
>> dynamic properties. Static types (or schema); dynamic state.
>>
>>
>> To understand ABM’s, like understanding anything, I suggest this  
>> approach: form a paradigm by understanding the static parts first,  
>> and then observe (or deduce) the dynamics in the context of the  
>> statics.
>>
>> The more chaotic, less rigorous approach, involves looking at all  
>> the dynamics simultaneously (or participating in those existential  
>> terms) and then trying to infer the structure.
>>
>> I think this latter approach leads to confusion, frustration, and  
>> post-modernistic dialogs.
>>
>> When the only way to understand the statics is by black-box  
>> observation of the dynamics, then use the scientific principle:  
>> fix all but one dynamic, and vary it in a controlled manner.
>>
>>
>>
>> Robert Howard
>> Phoenix, Arizona
>>
>>
>>
>> From: friam-bounces at redfish.com [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com]  
>> On Behalf Of Robert Holmes
>> Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2007 9:48 AM
>> To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
>> Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Fwd: ABM
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's a couple of sites that could be worth checking out Phil:
>>
>> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=object+oriented 
>> +programming&btnG=Google+Search
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object-oriented_programming
>>
>> Robert
>>
>> On 6/2/07, Phil Henshaw < sy at synapse9.com> wrote:
>>
>> Well, for the knowledgeably ignorant among us... what the heck is
>> 'object oriented' programming anyway.  All the code looks like  
>> code to
>> me, and other than having a few more sub-routines I don't  
>> understand the
>> purpose or design of... what's changed other than standardizing a few
>> protocols across platforms?
>>
>>
>> Phil Henshaw                       ¸¸¸¸.·´ ¯ `·.¸¸¸¸
>>
>>
>>
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>
> ============================================================
> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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Marko A. Rodriguez
Los Alamos National Laboratory (P362-proto)
Los Alamos, NM 87545
Phone +1 505 606 1691
http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/~okram

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