This outstanding collection is designed to address the fundamental issues and principles underlying the task of Artificial Intelligence. The editors have selected not only papers now recognized as classics but also many specially commissioned papers which examine the methodological and theoretical foundations of the discipline from a wide variety of perspectives: computer science and software engineering, cognitive psychology, philosophy, formal logic and linguistics. Carefully planned and structured, the volume tackles many of the contentious questions of immediate concern to AI researchers and interested observers. Is Artificial Intelligence in fact a discipline, or is it simply part of computer science? What is the role of programs in AI and how do they relate to theories? What is the nature of representation and implementation, and how should the challenge of connectionism be viewed? Can AI be characterized as an empirical science? The comprehensiveness of this collection is further enhanced by the full, annotated bibliography. All readers who want to consider what Artificial Intelligence really is will find this sourcebook invaluable, and the editors will undoubtedly succeed in their secondary aim of stimulating a lively and continuing debate.

"A nontechnical treatment of AI, recommended for general readers." Choice

"...a valuable resource and a model for future publications." William Hunt, Canadian Artificial Intelligence

"...any reader who wants to stop at the question as to what AI really is will find this collection of papers a valuable sourcebook." G.A.W. Vreeswijk, Mathematical Reviews