I posted the link elsewhere but if you take a look at this talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3tVctB_VSU it will give you an idea of where Sussman is coming from.

Also, I think right in the beginning of the very first lecture of the series Abelson talks about Computing as a way of codifying processes. In the link I included, Sussman says flat out that what he's interested in is using Computing as a better way to teach physics.