/
lectern.tv
Play15s30s1x0:00/--:--
DoneWatched
Expand
lectern.tv
24:12/1:12:56
3:48
1:32
1:47
6:14
4:29
2:03
4:36
3:24
1:53
3:11
2:24
3:11
1:14
1:49
1:55
4:53
2:39
2:46
1:02
2:08
3:34
5:13
0:36
2:19
1:52
2:10
Overview and Introduction to Lisp: Procedural & Symbolic Abstraction
Harold Abelson's inaugural lecture for MIT's 6.001 introduces Lisp as a foundational tool for computational abstraction.
Harold Abelson introduces the foundations of computer science through procedural and symbolic abstraction in Lisp. The lecture contrasts declarative and imperative knowledge, explains how to control system complexity using black-box abstraction and recursive procedures, and covers basic Lisp syntax, combinations, and definitions.
Lecture Guide
- 1Computer science is fundamentally about formalizing intuition about process and imperative knowledge, rather than merely studying physical computers.
- 2Controlling system complexity requires black-box abstraction, conventional interfaces, and metalinguistic abstraction.
- 3Lisp expressions use fully parenthesized prefix notation to represent trees of operator-operand combinations.
- 4Procedures are the spells that control computational processes, and lambda expressions create anonymous procedures.
Proofs, Examples & Demos
Assumed Background
Part of course·Lecture 1 of 10
6.001: Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP)
Start of sequence
Next · Lecture 2Opening lecture of 10-session syllabus
Procedures and Processes: The Substitution Model, Recursion & Iteration
Lecturers
2Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT
MIT Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and co-author of Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP).
3 courses · 36 lectures in archiveView profile
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
MIT Professor and co-author of SICP and Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics, co-inventor of the Scheme programming language.
3 courses · 36 lectures in archiveView profile
Discussion
Share a seminar note, question, or timestamped reference (e.g. 14:20)...Sign in