DEPARTMENT OF GENEl'ICS

STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

      STANFORD MEDICAL CENTER
300 PASTEUR DRIVE, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

May 24, 1963

To:

Dr. Robert Sears
Dean, Humanities and Sciences

Dr. l?obert Alway
Dean, School of Medicine

From:   Joshua Lederberg
    Professor of Genetics

Subject:     Appointment of Dr. Marvin L. Minsky

I am pleased to reinforce Professor Forsythe's proposal for the appoint-
ment of Dr. Marvin L. Eiinsky as Professor of Computer Sciences jointly
in the Division of Computer Science and the Department of Genetics.

The evaluation of Dr. l'linsky's academic qualifications in the field of
his own specialization is properly the responsibility of the Computer
Science Division, and I can only add my own concurrence in giving them
a very high appraisal.  This is based on some very limited previous
contact with Dr. Minsky over a period of scxne years, by my following of
some of the worlc he has been doing in artificial intelligence through
publications, and especially by the reinforcement of my previous opinions
through two rather intensive sessions of personal discussion within the
past several weeks.  Hy impressions as to his remarkable intellectual
capabilities are further reinforced by the opinions I have had of him
from Professor McCarthy, and from the views of my colleagues in the
tiedical School who have met him and have been acquainted with him. I
think there is very little question that Dr. Minsky is an outstanding
contributor in the field of artificial intelligence, whatever controversy
there may be concerning the actual present stature of this field of in-
vestigation.  As several of Dr. Minsky's referees have indicated, if
there is anyone who is 1 ikely to accomplish a significant advance in
artificial intelligence, it is likely to be Dr. Minsicy.

To these special qualifications for advanced research in the role of
computers, Dr. Minsky adds an unusual breadth of general scientific
scholarship, including biology, and a deep interest in forwarding the
constructive use of these technological tools for the purposes of medicine.


To:   Dr. Robert Sears                   May 24, 1963
   Dr. Robert Alway                        Page 2

I was especially gratified at the critical judgment that Dr. Minsky was
able to display in discussing a wide variety of scientific research
questions of particular interest in the Genetics Department.  Furthermore,
his interest in the development of artificial intelligence has not only
a general application to the construction of effective experiments in the
exobiology program, but he also has a distinct personal interest in helping
the pursuit of this application.

in'surn, it seems to me that the appointment of Dr. Minsky on this joint
basis between the Medical School and the Computation Science Division
affords a unique opportunity to further several objectives of great im-
portance to Stanford University, to the Medical School, and to scholarship
general ly:

1.  A concentration of talent at Stanford University that can help make
  it a national center in the field of artificial intelligence and non-
  numerical computation.

2.  The establishment of an effective liaison between the Medical School
  and the Computation Science Division in support of technological
  developments of unquestioned importance for medicine. Dr. Minsky
  would fulfill this role not only through his own operations in the
  two departments, but in a consultative function with other staff in
   the School of Medicine.  Be should also have a modest but definite
  teaching role in the instruction of students and staff in the Medical
  School in the potentialities of computer applications.

3. Within the Department of Genetics Dr. Kins!cy would further the exobiology
  and instrumentation programs through his own work on artificial intel-
  ligence and through the support of our broad efforts at the re-vitalizing
  of analytical instruments through the use of computers.  In addition it
  is important to point out the analogy between the process of biological
  evolution through. spontaneous mutation and natural selection and the
  perfect ion of adaptive programs through a similar route. There is in
  fact an ultimate expectation that a common basic theory of adaptive
  processes may help to furnish the necessary ideology which is still
  sadly lacking in the construction of a general biological theory, at
  the same time that it answers the needs for the rapid controlled evo-
  lution of artificial ii,ielligence.

4.  The relevance of these investigations to the understanding of natural
  intelligence is an obvious one and is well understood by the many
  members of the-I,:eurobiology Group who have been consulted concerning
  this appointment and likewise give it their enthusiastic support.

It is recognized that Dr. Kinsky's assignment as Professor o-f Computer
Science in the Dcpartinent of Genetics is a somewhat arbitrary one, although
entirely appropriate to match existing opportunities, facilities, and needs.


To:

Dr.  Robert Sears                  ilay 24, 1963
Dr. Robert Alway                      Page 3

To the extent that Dr. Minsky's performance matches our expectat
the question should naturally arise as to a more distinctive ass
of mathematical and computational functions within the School of
but this question can safely be left for further deliberation in
of events and can hardly be excused as a basis for failing to se
present opportunity.

ions,
ignment
Medicine,
the 1 ight
ize the

Joshua Lederberg
Execut i ve Head
Department of Genetics

P.S.  To help illustrate the very vital role that advanced computation
is`likely to play in the affairs of our department and of medical research
in general, I am appending the enclosed document "The lnstrumentation
Crisis in Biology".