Date: Tue, 8 Nov 1994 10:18:19 -0800

From: Dan Alford dalford[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]S1.CSUHAYWARD.EDU

Subject: Re: Birrell Walsh



I blush. But for those of you who do not know who Birrell Walsh is, he is the

closest in this day & age to a true Renaissance Man that I've found. Master of

many trades, jack o' none. I often invite him to talk to my classes -- talk

did I say? I meant mezmerize -- regarding his thought experiment which

considers Whorf's linguistic relativity principle in terms of different

computer programming languages, showing how what is easy to do in one

language is exceedingly difficult to do in another. It's a world-class

performance. Of course he writes (wrote) a regular computer column for

Microtimes, and works in PBS television programming for a local station;

and his philosophy and religion knowledge is impeccable. Nice guy, too!

Birrell was one of the (auditing) students who made the "Language &

Consciousness" class so effective and memorable!

-- Moonhawk (%- )

"The fool on the hill sees the sun going down and

the eyes in his head see the world spinning round"

-- John Lennon