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Hofstadter on Lisp (1983)

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372 points Eric_WVGG | 1 comments | 16 Oct 24 13:44 UTC | HN request time: 0.205s | source
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paulddraper ◴[17 Oct 24 16:10 UTC] No.41870979[source]▶
> As you might expect, the value of the atom 1729 is the integer 1729, and this is permanent. (I am distinguishing here between the atom whose print name or pname is the four-digit string 1729, and the eternal Platonic essence that happens to be the sum of two cubes in two different ways - i.e., the number 1729.)

He is? What is the distinguishment he is making?

This writing styling is....interesting.

replies(3): >>41871040 #>>41871047 #>>41871222 #
1. WolfeReader ◴[17 Oct 24 16:15 UTC] No.41871040[source]▶
The lisp atom 1729 is like a "constant" in a programming language, representing a particular arrangement of bits in lisp systems. The integer 1729 is a number that, in a mathematical sense, has always existed and will always exist regardless of computer systems.

While some atoms can be assigned values, the atom 1729 cannot be assigned any value other than the number 1729.