Computational Artifacts

Description

The philosophy of computer science is concerned with issues that arise from reflection upon the nature and practice of the discipline of computer science. This book presents an approach to the subject that is centered upon the notion of computational artefact. It provides an analysis of the things of computer science as technical artefacts. Seeing them in this way enables the application of the analytical tools and concepts from the philosophy of technology to the technical artefacts of computer science. With this conceptual framework the author examines some of the central philosophical concerns of computer science including the foundations of semantics, the logical role of specification, the nature of correctness, computational ontology and abstraction, formal methods, computational epistemology and explanation, the methodology of computer science, and the nature of computation. The book will be of value to philosophers and computer scientists. Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Front Matter ....Pages 1-3 Computer Science (Raymond Turner)....Pages 5-11 Towards a Philosophy of Computer Science (Raymond Turner)....Pages 13-19 Front Matter ....Pages 21-23 Computational Artifacts (Raymond Turner)....Pages 25-29 Logic Machines as Technical Artifacts (Raymond Turner)....Pages 31-41 The Ontology of Programs (Raymond Turner)....Pages 43-52 Software Systems as Technical Artifacts (Raymond Turner)....Pages 53-57 Front Matter ....Pages 59-61 The Languages of Computer Science (Raymond Turner)....Pages 63-66 Programming Languages (Raymond Turner)....Pages 67-76 Semantic Theories (Raymond Turner)....Pages 77-83 Formal Semantics (Raymond Turner)....Pages 85-94 Semantics and Implementation (Raymond Turner)....Pages 95-103 Specification Languages (Raymond Turner)....Pages 105-112 Front Matter ....Pages 113-115 Software System Methodology (Raymond Turner)....Pages 117-120 Specification (Raymond Turner)....Pages 121-127 The Philosophy of Design (Raymond Turner)....Pages 129-132 Simplicity (Raymond Turner)....Pages 133-139 Modularity (Raymond Turner)....Pages 141-149 Formal Methods (Raymond Turner)....Pages 151-160 The Design of Programming Languages (Raymond Turner)....Pages 161-167 Semantics and Design (Raymond Turner)....Pages 169-174 Data Abstraction (Raymond Turner)....Pages 175-183 Front Matter ....Pages 185-187 Computability (Raymond Turner)....Pages 189-195 Feasible Computations (Raymond Turner)....Pages 197-199 Varieties of Correctness (Raymond Turner)....Pages 201-204 Program Correctness (Raymond Turner)....Pages 205-212 Types and Correctness (Raymond Turner)....Pages 213-218 The Simple Mapping Account (Raymond Turner)....Pages 219-224 Computational Explanation (Raymond Turner)....Pages 225-230 Intention and Correctness (Raymond Turner)....Pages 231-233 Rule Following and Correctness (Raymond Turner)....Pages 235-239 Back Matter ....Pages 241-255