[1] : Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001)

gedanken /g-dahn'kn/ adj. ungrounded; impractical; not
   well-thought-out; untried; untested.

   `gedanken' is a german word for `thought'. a thought experiment is one
   you carry out in your head. in physics, the term `gedanken experiment'
   is used to refer to an experiment that is impractical to carry out, but
   useful to consider because it can be reasoned about theoretically. a
   classic gedanken experiment of relativity theory involves thinking about
   a man in an elevator accelerating through space. gedanken experiments
   are very useful in physics, but must be used with care. it's too easy to
   idealize away some important aspect of the real world in constructing
   the `apparatus'.

   among hackers, accordingly, the word has a pejorative connotation. it
   is typically used of a project, especially one in artificial
   intelligence research, that is written up in grand detail typically as
   a ph.d. thesis without ever being implemented to any great extent. such
   a project is usually perpetrated by people who aren't very good hackers
   or find programming distasteful or are just in a hurry. a `gedanken
   thesis' is usually marked by an obvious lack of intuition about what is
   programmable and what is not, and about what does and does not
   constitute a clear specification of an algorithm. see also
   ai-complete, dwim.


see also:
ai-complete dwim 

[2] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

gedanken
     
        john reynolds, 1970.  "gedanken - a simple typeless language
        based on the principle of completeness and the reference
        concept", j.c.  reynolds, cacm 135:308-319 may 1970.
     
        jargon file
     
     
see also:
jargon file 

[3] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

gedanken
     
        /g-dahn'kn/ ungrounded; impractical; not well-thought-out;
        untried; untested.
     
        "gedanken" is a german word for "thought".  a thought
        experiment is one you carry out in your head.  in physics, the
        term "gedanken experiment" is used to refer to an experiment
        that is impractical to carry out, but useful to consider
        because it can be reasoned about theoretically.  a classic
        gedanken experiment of relativity theory involves thinking
        about a man in an elevator accelerating through space.
        gedanken experiments are very useful in physics, but must be
        used with care.  it's too easy to idealise away some important
        aspect of the real world in constructing the "apparatus".
     
        among hackers, accordingly, the word has a pejorative
        connotation.  it is typically used of a project, especially
        one in artificial intelligence research, that is written up in
        grand detail typically as a ph.d.  thesis without ever being
        implemented to any great extent.  such a project is usually
        perpetrated by people who aren't very good hackers or find
        programming distasteful or are just in a hurry.  a "gedanken
        thesis" is usually marked by an obvious lack of intuition
        about what is programmable and what is not, and about what
        does and does not constitute a clear specification of an
        algorithm.  see also ai-complete, dwim.
     
     
see also:
ai-complete dwim 

Gedanken >> G Words
Gedanken, definition of term: Gedanken
gedanken_pag1.html