Book Reviews
4/67-1R Theory of Self-Reproducing Automata. 1966.
John von Neumann. Arthur W. Burks, Editor. University
of Illinois Preps.
John von Xeumann made a number of important con-
tributions to the development of modern computers and
automata. The present volume has been edited from two
of his unfinished manuscripts and so falls naturally into
two parts.
In Part I, “Theory and Organization of Complicated
Automata,” von Neumann presents his views on extremely
complicated automata. He begins by discussing computing
machines in general and what makes them complex or
simple.
Von Neumann went on to discuss rigorous theories of
control and information including the statistical informa-
tion theory of Shannon. He related these results to the
theory of computability as formulated by Turing.
It is the last two of the five lectures which are the most
interrsting. Here, von Neumann discusses the role of
complexity in automata. Many similarities between com-
plicated automata and the nervous system are discussed.
I t is interesting to note that he was intrigued by the
numbers of elements involved. There are 1010 neurons
in the human brain while computers had 2x104 tubes
when von Neumann gave these lectures. Current computers
(IBM 360-91) have roughly 5x105 transistors so that
natural systems are still much larger than artificial ones.
When this material was written, a 1,000 word memory was
standard; now 65,000 word memories are common. On
the other hand, the memory capacity of a human being
is not yet known. Computer components are much faster
than neurons.
After considering these questions, von Neumann moved
on to discuss the synthesis of complicated automata by
other automata. A number of schemes for self-reproduction
arc mentioned. The possibility of evolution and random
mutation is also considered.
In summary, the first part of the book is a semitechnical
discussion of the nature of highly complicated automata
with consideration of the parallels and differences between
abstract and human automata. These lectures are particu-
larly pleasant to read. A serious consideration of these
problems requires a knowledge of many areas such as
logic, probability theory, information theory, computers,
etc. Since von Neumann was competent in all these fields
and utilizes them in his lectures, this volume illustrates
a first-class mind a t work. It is even more impressive when
one realizes that we livr in a time of pathetic over-
sperialization.
In Part 11, entitled “The Theory of Automata: Con-
struction, Reproduction, Homogeneity,” von Neumann set
out to ronstxuct a self-reproducing automaton. He began by
asking five basic questions :
1. Wh(hn is a class of automata logicallv universal?
2. Can an automaton be constructed, i.e.. assembled
and built from appropriately defined “raw materials,”
hv another automaton? Also what class of automata
ran be constructed by one, suitably given, automaton?
3. Can any one, suitably given, automaton be “con-
struction-universal,” ie., able to construct every other
automaton ?
4. Can any automaton construct other automata that
are exactly like it?
5 . Can the construction of automata by automata pro-
gress from simpler types to increasingly complirated
254 American Documentation - October 1967
types? Can this evolution go from lem efficient to
more efficient automata?
Question (1) has a well-known answer dufx to Turing.
The other questions are all answered affirrnativcly by 1-011
Neumann. This is accomplished by t h e detailed con-
struction of a self-producing automaton. He starts by
postulating a regular two dimensional grid, each cell of
which is a 29-state automaton. Using these components.
an automaton which is really a (universal) Turing machine
is constructed. The conctructing miachinr constructs rs-
sentially a tape for a Turing machine and the finite stat(%
control unit. The complete machine arts as a (univers;tl)
Turing machine. Thus, Question 2 is answerrd. QIIW-
tion 3 is reduced to Question 2 by giving a plan f o r
converting the constructing automaton into n unilrcrsnl
constructor.
Von Neumann reduced Question 4 to Question 3 hy show-
ing how to make the universal construrt,or rrproducr itself.
The trick is to have a complete description of the con-
structor on the same tapr. Intuitivrly. this sernis impos-
sible since the constructing automaton must contain :t
complete plan of the constructed automaton nntl n l w
must be able to understand and exrrutr this plan. This
bottleneck can be gotten around by keeping two ropirs
of the information on the tape. One copy is used i n
the construction: the other copy is passrd to the srrontl
machine.
Question 5 brings in other issues such as thr nature of
efficiency. Consequently, this problem is not disrusseti
in the same detail as the others.
In the second part of the manuscript, von Ncumann
succeeded in answering all of his questions in the affirma-
tive. His detailed construction is easy to follow and quitr
clever.
The editor, Professor Arthur Burks, has contributed much
to the present volume. His many comments are brackrtrtl
in the text; this preserves the original flavor and adds
explanatory material. The casual reader will find mudi
of this information helpful and most readers will find t h r
chronological material interesting. Advanced rraders may
find the tutorial comments tiresome and rrprtitious. h i t
these are easily skipped.
Professor Burks is to be congratulated for doing such a
thorough job in finishing these manuscripts. All those
people, myself included, who saw the original manusrript
can appreciate the work which the editor has donr.
MICHAEL A. HARRISOX
Uniriersity n j C n l z f o ~ ~ r i u
Berkeley
4/67-2R Symbolic Shorthand System. 1966. (Rutgers
Series on Systems for the Intellectual Orgmization of
Information, Volume VI.) Hans Selye. New Rrunswick.
89 PP.
I n a brief 10,000 words Dr. Selye and his formrr lihrarian,
George Ember, here attempt to describe the salient featurrs
of the classification system which Dr. Selye has employed
in organizing his collection of documents (some 700.000
items, chiefly journal article offprints and photocopies)
in the field of endocrinology. This is not a shelf Classifira-
tion, but a classification meant for the organizatlon of a
classified catalog. There are some 1,800 ,‘‘class numbers,”
distributed abong 20 main classes ; the dlstlnctivr fraturp
of the system is that thc class numbers are made up of