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Add to SafariWhen comparing Structure and Intepretation of Computer Programs vs Rationality: From AI to Zombies, the Slant community recommends Structure and Intepretation of Computer Programs for most people. In the question“What are the most influential books every programmer should read?” Structure and Intepretation of Computer Programs is ranked 7th while Rationality: From AI to Zombies is ranked 22nd. The most important reason people chose Structure and Intepretation of Computer Programs is:
This isn't a book you'll glean direct practical tidbits out of, an introduction to not only functional programming but how to think in a paradigm outside the usual way C*/Python/Ruby/Java/etc... are coded. Even if you wind up never working in Scheme or any other primarily functional language, the tactics and thought processes you'll learn here will apply to any currently-evolving language to a greater or lesser degree. You'll be able to map your thought process into the paradigm that works best for your current situation and not just be forced into a limited set of idioms that causes unnecessary boilerplate and clunky code mangling.
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Knowledge can be applied to any language
This isn't a book you'll glean direct practical tidbits out of, an introduction to not only functional programming but how to think in a paradigm outside the usual way C*/Python/Ruby/Java/etc... are coded.
Even if you wind up never working in Scheme or any other primarily functional language, the tactics and thought processes you'll learn here will apply to any currently-evolving language to a greater or lesser degree. You'll be able to map your thought process into the paradigm that works best for your current situation and not just be forced into a limited set of idioms that causes unnecessary boilerplate and clunky code mangling.
Pro Teaches very important programming concepts
Like closures and encapsulation without language support of objects.
Pro Very good for absolute beginners
This book gives a great insight about immutable and mutable state (with pros and cons), typisation, FP, OOP, and many other things in a very beginner-friendly manner
Pro Will make you smarter
Your intelligence is being used to defeat itself. Learn how to stop that.
Pro Mindblowing ideas
From (friendly) AI to (philosophical) zombies. Also Pebblesorters. And why humans are insane.
Pro Fictional interludes
These are quality science fiction short stories in their own right.
Pro Funny
Pro Engaging
Cons
Con Not enough citations
Just Google it.
Con Has some highly technical references in places
Things like physics (relativity, quantum mechanics), mathematics and computer programming. Scared? Didn't think so.
Con Long
The chapters are relatively short and digestible essays and short stories. The problem: there are 333 of them. On paper, this would take volumes, but this is an ebook. You'll get a lot out of it long before you finish though.
