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\F3\CSTANFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LABORATORY
\CDEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
\CSTANFORD UNIVERSITY
\CSTANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305
\F0
						

							September 30, 1974

Professor Petr Beckman
Access to Energy
Box 2298
Boulder, Colorado 80302

Dear Petr:

\J		My plans for the pro-technology organization haven't
proceeded as yet, partly because of a lack of time and partly
because of two other activities that may interest you.
First, I have been circulating the the enclosed statement of
\F2The Scientific Basis for Technological Optimism\F0 locally
at Stanford developed with the help of Steve Kline, a professor
of mechanical engineering.  We have gotten several favorable
responses from engineers and one rather unfavorable response
from Panofsky of SLAC.  After a bit more feedback, we'll hold
the meeting mentioned in it; I'll keep you informed.  A second
activity is getting together a group to testify in favor of
\F1Project Independence\F0 in San Francisco early next month.
Enclosed also is a copy of the current draft of that statement.
It is partly mine and partly by Tom Connolly, another professor
of mechanical engineering. If you want to print it, let me know,
and I'll send you the final version with all the names.  Finally,
enclosed is a check for $6.00 for a subscription to the news letter.

	Thanks much for the books; I especially enjoyed the book
about \F1π\F0 and may have comments on the linguistics book when I
finish it.\.


							Sincerely yours,



							John McCarthy

P.S. The following algorithm for \F1π\F0 due to Bill Gosper may
interest you:

\F2begin integer\F1 b,c,r; \F2real\F1 pi;
c\F0←5; \F1b\F0←8; \F1r\F0←1;
loop: \F1c\F0←4096*\F1c\F0+(42*\F0r\F1+5)*\F1b; b\F0 ← 8*\F1b\F0*((2*\F1r\F0+1)/(\F1r\F0+1))↑3;\F1r\F0 ← \F1r\F0+1;
\F1pi\F0←2↑(12*\F1r\F0-8)/\F1c\F0;
\F2go to\F0 loop;

\F2comment\F0 Each trip around the loop gives 6\F1r\F0-1 bits, and the
quantities \F1b, c,\F0 and \F1r\F0 remain integers.;
\F2end\F0.


BECKMA.LE2[LET,JMC]:SU-AI