Constructive/Destructive Algorithms (Ontogenic Networks)

[nelsonde%avlab.dnet@wrdc.af.mil]

                  I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

                                        Date:     14-Dec-1990 08:47am EST
                                        From:     Dale E. Nelson
                                                  NELSONDE
                                        Dept:     AAAT-1
                                        Tel No:   57646

TO:  Remote Addressee                     ( _LABDDN::"CONNECTIONISTS at CS.CMU.EDU" )


Subject: Constructive/Destructive Algorithms (Ontogenic Networks)


>  Clever, but I just can't see this term catching on.  What's wrong with
>  "constructive" and "destructive" (or maybe "additive" and "subtractive")?
>  People immediately know what you're talking about.

>  I don't think it's a big problem that there isn't a single word for the
>  whole class.  Usually you only want to refer to one kind or the other.

If this is a valid argument, then why in the medical community do they
call a class of diseases Cancer?  Why not just refer to it as rapid,
uncontrolled cell division?  Why do we call them "neural networks"?  Why
not just say "inputs that are multiplied by weights, summed up, put through
a squashing function and the result passed as input to another summer/
squasher" ????  It is because the vocabulary, as agreed to by researchers,
makes the interchange of ideas easier.

I believe that we need to develop the terminology and vocabulary for our
research area to facilitate literature searches, and just free discussion.

I have a deaf man that works for me.  Our main problem is that there is *no*
sign language vocabulary associated with neural networks.  We have to develop
it in order to effectively exchange ideas.

I am open to any other suggestions.

--Dale