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Learning Programming in an Age of LLMs

263 points · 195 comments · moneroloop2018

  1. js8 · · focus · HN ↗
    I answered this to myself - stop worrying about LLMs. It's pretty simple: due to Curry-Howard isomorphism, programming languages are just notations for some type of formal logic.

    Now ask yourself a question, what language do you want to maintain the programs in? Do you think natural language is going to be easier and more maintainable than formal logic?

    The answer is no. So you need programmers, people who can read the formal description and adapt it to new requirements.

    LLMs are amazing technology, but the truth is - natural language just kinda sucks. Therefore, you don&#x27;t really need them (see also <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;AI_effect" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;AI_effect ).

    I think people love LLMs for the same reasons they love magicians. But just like the magician employs a hidden trick, LLM just runs some algorithm you don&#x27;t see or understand.

    So worrying about LLMs taking programming job is kinda like worrying that a magician will take a warehouse worker job, because they can levitate stuff. Meanwhile, we already have automated programmer - it&#x27;s called a compiler.

    1. jappgar · · focus · HN ↗
      No offense, but &quot;natural language sucks&quot; is the refuge of the illiterate logician.

      Complex language is clearly superior in nature. We&#x27;re now finding out that that is true in computation as well.

      1. js8 · · focus · HN ↗
        I am not sure what your counterargument is. But in mathematics and computation, people have tried for at least 150 years to move away from natural language, and figure out stable foundations that can be externalized. I think there is a good reason for that - you save time correcting errors due to different interpretation.
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