In a previous essay [0] I traced the Lighthill Affair to the tension between the scruffies and the neats in Artificial Intelligence. As a reminder the official [1] definition of these terms:
” … the neats — those who think that AI theories should be grounded in mathematical rigor — versus the scruffies — those who would rather try out lots of ideas, write some programs, and then assess what seems to be working.”
For a few lines this is a pretty good characterization. But I think it only scratches the surface. In this essay I will explore the contrast in temperament and attitude that exists along several dimensions and is found elsewhere in science.
A Programmers Place 