Essential contribution to the philosophy of computer science
Advances the notion of a technical artifact
Appeals to computer scientists and philosophers
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.
"This superb book addresses fundamental issues for developing insight into the nature of CS as distinct from other physical sciences, engineering, or mathematics." (Shapiro, Computing Reviews, July 15, 2019)
