Re: f(x) and NN

[Joan Pons Semelis <joan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Nick Fortescue <nickf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> On Fri, 7 May 1999, Joan Pons Semelis wrote:
> > Bottom line: evaluate() *is* the fundamental.
> 
> This is not true. Consider the extreme case (which will never be achieved,
> but we are talking theory, not practice here) of a move-suggest function
> which just accesses a database (provided by God) of all possible board
> positions, giving the best move for each. No evaluation need ever be done.
> Of course, I am not suggesting this is practical (finding the database is
> tricky) :-)
> 
> As P.J. Leonard wrote, either a perfect moveSuggest() or a perfect
> evaluate() is enough.
> 
> Nick

With 'fundamental' I mean for practical work :-)
But leaving aside the space problem for the DB ( and the
time needed to access such a DB ) something/somebody has to
fill it, and for this still evaluate() is necessary.
Unless that something/somebody can get the right answer out of
nothing. Just beeing very lucky, for exemple.

Joan