Edward Fredkin, an influential professor of computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, pioneer in artificial intelligence, and maverick scientific theorist, passed away on June 13 at the age of 88. Despite not graduating from college, Fredkin became a renowned intellectual force in both computer science and physics.
Known for his limitless scientific imagination and unconventional thinking, Fredkin was highly regarded by his colleagues. Gerald Sussman, a professor of electronic engineering at M.I.T., stated that Fredkin had more good ideas in a lifetime than most people ever have, even though many of his ideas were deemed bad.
After serving as a fighter pilot in the Air Force, Fredkin became an autodidact who went on to become a full professor of computer science at M.I.T. at the young age of 34. He later taught at Carnegie Mellon University and Boston University. Fredkin was not content with just academic pursuits, founding a company in 1962 that built programmable film readers for computer data analysis. The company, Information International Incorporated, went public in 1968, and Fredkin sold it to Richard Branson for $25 million.
Professor Fredkin was also famous for his paradox, known as Fredkin’s paradox. He believed that people spend more time making decisions when the options are similar, even if the differences are insignificant. Conversely, when faced with more substantial differences, people tend to spend less time deciding.
As an early researcher in artificial intelligence, Professor Fredkin predicted the current debates about hyper-intelligent machines decades ago. Fredkin believed that creating a machine that outperforms humans in thinking abilities only required a combination of engineering and science.
Fredkin also made significant contributions to the field of reversible computing, demonstrating that computation is not inherently irreversible. He theorized that it is possible to build a computer that does not consume energy or produce heat. However, his most controversial theories revolved around digital physics, where he postulated that information is more fundamental than matter and energy. He believed that atoms, electrons, and quarks consist of binary units of information.
Despite the skepticism surrounding his theories, Professor Fredkin’s contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and his groundbreaking ideas continue to inspire researchers today. His legacy as a brilliant and unconventional thinker lives on, reminding us of the importance of pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Fredkin is survived by his wife, Joycelin, and multiple children and grandchildren.
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