So I am reading this book on artificial intelligence.  I reckon its an “old school” kind of book… Artificial Intelligence, by Philip Jackson.  Even when my head spins a bit from the mathematico-logical stuff filling the pages, I am struck by the casual and approachable style of the author.  Maybe this makes ts a coffee table book on AI, but I don’t think this is truly the case.  There is something of value in being able to communicate complex ideas in simple terms.  Or to write in a scholarly, yet conversational tone.  In fact, this seem to be a lost art in academic circles. 

In a section early in the book discussing just what kinds of problems can be expressed mathematically, Jackson spins out “ooops, there’s another subatomic particle.”  I figured that was a line you don’t run across everyday.