Can one use Python to learn and even apply Functional Programming?

[Neil Cerutti]

On 2014-02-16, Sam <lightaiyee at gmail.com> wrote:
> I would like to learn and try out functional programming (FP).
> I love Python and would like to use it to try FP. Some have
> advised me to use Haskell instead because Python is not a good
> language for FP. I am sort of confused at the moment. Is Python
> a dysfunctional programming language to apply FP? Can the more
> experienced Python users advise?

I recommend Scheme to learn functional programming style.

There's a short scheme tutorial that was entered in the
Interactive Fiction competition in 1998 or so. You can play it
online here, and try out functional programming on a scheme
interepreter implemented in Inform and running on a Z-machine
interpreter written in javascript. It was *my* first introduction
to functional programming.

http://www.eblong.com/zarf/if.html#lists

I purchased and really enjoyed Simply Scheme as a followup to
that mind-bending experience.

http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~bh/ss-toc2.html

I wouldn't recommend trying to learn anything at the same time as
learning Haskell. ;)

-- 
Neil Cerutti