Comment by K0balt
2 hours ago
Sure, apply this pattern to that set of specifications. The very fact that the language has a fixed set of defined keywords sort of makes it all “pattern matching”, but computabillity theory implies that you can definitely use patterns to create novel solutions. I guess it’s where you draw the line?
> ... it more closely resembles reasoning than search.
I get that, to you, it feels like reasoning. I'm not arguing about that. I expect we have different ideas of what sort of steps constitute reasoning. I'm also entirely unclear that we have the same understanding of computability theory.
For example, a program can start at the beginning of a maze, and "compute" a path through it with a recursive algorithm that splits at every branch. Is is "reasoning" about how to solve the maze? If you believe that it is, then I understand your position and, as you surmised, I have a different definition of 'reasoning' than that one.
For me, a classic "reasoning"[1] test is diagramming English sentences. That's because in order to diagram a sentence you need to understand both the rules around nouns, verbs, adverbs, and such, and what the sentence is actually saying. Some of the rules have exceptions and those exceptions are perfectly valid. In computation you might say this problem is not NP complete, and yet people do it all the time.
Anyway, I appreciate the additional context you've provided.
[1] using quotes here because I am operating under the understanding that substituting your version of what reasoning means in this context might not parse well.