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\chapter*{Series Foreword}

Artificial intelligence is the study of intelligence using the ideas
and methods of computation.  Unfortunately, a definition of
intelligence seems impossible at the moment because intelligence
appears to be an amalgam of so many information-processing and
information-representation abilities.

Of course psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and related disciplines
offer various perspectives and methodologies for studying
intelligence.  For the most part, however, the theories proposed in
these fields are too incomplete and too vaguely stated to be realized
in computational terms.  Something more is needed, even though
valuable ideas, relationships, and constraints can be gleaned from
traditional studies of what are, after all, impressive existence
proofs that intelligence is in fact possible.

Artificial intelligence offers a new perspective and a new
methodology.  Its central goal is to make computers intelligent, both
to make them more useful and to understand the principles that make
intelligence possible.  That intelligent computers will be extremely
useful is obvious.  The more profound point is that artificial
intelligence aims to understand intelligence using the ideas and
methods of computation, thus offering a radically new and different
basis for theory formation.  Most of the people doing artificial
intelligence believe that these theories will apply to any intelligent
information processor, whether biological or solid state.

There are side effects that deserve attention, too.  Any program that
will successfully model even a small part of intelligence will be
inherently massive and complex.  Consequently, artificial intelligence
continually confronts the limits of computer science technology.  The
problems encountered have been hard enough and interesting enough to
seduce artificial intelligence people into working on them with
enthusiasm.  It is natural, then, that there has been a steady flow of
ideas from artificial intelligence to computer science, and the flow
shows no sign of abating.

%Robotics is the part of Artificial Intelligence concerned with the
%intelligent connection of perception to action.  A key issue in
%Robotics is understanding the mechanics of manipulation as a basis for
%the successful planning and execution of robot tasks.  Currently, we
%cannot claim to understand manipulation.  Our knowledge of robotics is
%almost entirely empirical.  If fundamental principles exist, we have
%not discovered them.  We consider this book to be an important step
%toward uncovering such principles.

The purpose of this MIT Press Series in Artificial
Intelligence is to provide people in many areas, both professionals
and students, with timely, detailed information about what is
happening on the frontiers in research centers all over the world.

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Patrick Henry Winston \hfill Michael Brady 

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