How can Computer Science be Fascinating?
I sat on my computer for a full day, trying my best to improve my artificial intelligence solution to solve the 2048 game. The darkness fell upon the day and as I lie with my partner in bed, my partner loudly wondered how could it be that I derive pleasure spending days in front of the computer looking at dull lines of code. To her, the lines hold no beauty nor a whisper of a thrill. Then we moved on to talk about the normal anxieties of life, about death, about existence and the meaning of it. “It’s funny people try to answers to questions of why when we don’t even know the answer to the most basic question of all – what is the meaning of our existence” she exclaimed. As usual, I disagreed: “We are likely to never know for certain the source of our existence, but that does not mean we can’t make some discoveries about the nature of our universe”, and to refer to our earlier conversation I added “that is actually why I find computer science so interesting!”
I think my partner’s wonder is a common one, how could writing some lines, pressing enter, and enjoying the great result of 42 on a black and white screen compare to a nice stroll in the park, a hug, or a dance?! It’s a fair thought and the truth is, it cannot. All of these things are great for their own reasons. So while I will not try to compare it to these great activities, perhaps I could explain why I find computer science to be a thrill and a wonder.
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