Philosophy of Computer Science - An Introduction to the Issues and the Literature

Informationen zum Autor William J. Rapaport is CSE Eminent Professor Emeritus in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and an affiliated faculty member emeritus in the Departments of Philosophy and of Linguistics at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. He is a recipient of the Barwise Prize of the American Philosophical Association, the Covey Award of the International Association for Computing and Philosophy, and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Klappentext Discover the philosophical issues at the heart of computer scienceFor computer science students, philosophy students, professionals in either field, and general readers interested in both, Philosophy of Computer Science offers a fascinating introduction to the central questions that philosophy asks about the field of computer science. First of all, what is computer science? What is a computer, and what is science, for that matter? These basic investigations lead into many other areas, dealing with, for example, Turing Machines, hypercomputation, artificial intelligence, and the ethics of computers and robots. This book gives readers the background to bring them up to speed about these issues and many more.After reading this introduction, you will be able to engage with classic and current literature in the philosophy of computer science, forming your own reasoned opinions and, perhaps, contributing your own views. Uniquely, Philosophy of Computer Science weaves in content on how philosophers reason and evaluate logical arguments, and it provides suggested writing assignments designed to help focus your thinking about the fascinating issues covered. This text is a wonderful place to start examining what happens when we turn a philosophical eye to the science of computing. Zusammenfassung A unique resource exploring the nature of computers and computing, and their relationships to the world.Philosophy of Computer Science is a university-level textbook designed to guide readers through an array of topics at the intersection of philosophy and computer science. Accessible to students from either discipline, or complete beginners to both, the text brings readers up to speed on a conversation about these issues, so that they can read the literature for themselves, form their own reasoned opinions, and become part of the conversation by contributing their own views.Written by a highly qualified author in the field, the book looks at some of the central questions in the philosophy of computer science, including:* What is philosophy? (for readers who might be unfamiliar with it)* What is computer science and its relationship to science and to engineering?* What are computers, computing, algorithms, and programs?(Includes a line-by-line reading of portions of Turing's classic 1936 paper that introduced Turing Machines, as well as discussion of the Church-Turing Computability Thesis and hypercomputation challenges to it)* How do computers and computation relate to the physical world?* What is artificial intelligence, and should we build AIs?* Should we trust decisions made by computers?A companion website contains annotated suggestions for further reading and an instructor's manual.Philosophy of Computer Science is a must-have for philosophy students, computer scientists, and general readers who want to think philosophically about computer science. Inhaltsverzeichnis List of Figures xviPreface xviiiAbout the Companion Website xxPart I Philosophy and Computer Science 11 An Introduction to the Philosophy of Computer Science 31.1 What This Book Is About 31.2 What This Book Is Not About 52 Philosophy: A Personal View 72.1 Introduction 72.2 A Definition of 'Philosophy' 82.3 What Is Truth? 92.3.1 Correspondence Theories of Truth 102.3.2 Coherence Theories of Truth 102.3.3 Correspondence vs. Coherence 102.4 Searching for the Truth 132.4.1 Searchi...

List of contents

List of Figures xvi
 
Preface xviii
 
About the Companion Website xx
 
Part I Philosophy and Computer Science 1
 
1 An Introduction to the Philosophy of Computer Science 3
 
1.1 What This Book Is About 3
 
1.2 What This Book Is Not About 5
 
2 Philosophy: A Personal View 7
 
2.1 Introduction 7
 
2.2 A Definition of 'Philosophy' 8
 
2.3 What Is Truth? 9
 
2.3.1 Correspondence Theories of Truth 10
 
2.3.2 Coherence Theories of Truth 10
 
2.3.3 Correspondence vs. Coherence 10
 
2.4 Searching for the Truth 13
 
2.4.1 Searching vs. Finding 13
 
2.4.2 Asking "Why?" 14
 
2.4.3 Can There Be Progress in Philosophy? 15
 
2.4.4 Skepticism 16
 
2.5 What Is "Rational"? 17
 
2.5.1 Logical Rationality 17
 
2.5.2 Scientific Rationality 20
 
2.5.3 Computational Rationality 21
 
2.5.4 Is It Always Rational to Be Rational? 21
 
2.6 Philosophy as a Personal Search 22
 
2.7 Philosophies of Anything and Everything 23
 
2.8 Philosophy and Computer Science 25
 
2.9 Appendix: Argument Analysis and Evaluation 25
 
2.9.1 Introduction 25
 
2.9.2 A Question-Answer Game 26
 
2.9.3 Missing Premises 27
 
2.9.4 When Is an Argument a "Good" Argument? 30
 
2.9.5 Examples of Good and Bad Arguments 34
 
2.9.6 Summary 35
 
Part II Computer Science, Computers, and Computation 37
 
3 What Is Computer Science? 39
 
3.1 Introduction 39
 
3.2 Naming the Discipline 39
 
3.3 Why Ask What CS Is? 40
 
3.4 What Does It Mean to Ask What Something Is? 42
 
3.4.1 Determining Boundaries 42
 
3.4.2 Extensional and Intensional Definition 45
 
3.5 CS as the Science of Computers 47
 
3.5.1 Objection: Computers Are Not Natural 48
 
3.5.2 Objection: Computers Are Tools, Not Phenomena 49
 
3.5.3 Digression: The Once-upon-a-Time Science of Microscopy 51
 
3.5.4 Objection: CS Is Just a Branch of ... 52
 
3.5.5 Objection: What about Algorithms? 52
 
3.6 CS Studies Algorithms 53
 
3.6.1 Only Algorithms? 53
 
3.6.2 Or Computers, Too? 55
 
3.7 Physical Computers vs. Abstract Algorithms 56
 
3.8 CS Studies Information 57
 
3.9 CS as a Mathematical Science 58
 
3.10 CS as a Natural Science of Procedures 61
 
3.11 CS as an Empirical Study 63
 
3.12 CS as Engineering 64
 
3.13 Science xor Engineering? 66
 
3.14 CS as "Both" 66
 
3.15 CS as "More" 68
 
3.15.1 CS as a New Kind of Science 68
 
3.15.2 CS as a New Kind of Engineering 70
 
3.16 CS as "Neither" 71
 
3.16.1 CS as Art 71
 
3.16.2 CS as the Study of Complexity 71
 
3.16.3 CS as the Philosophy(!) of Procedures 72
 
3.16.4 CS as Computational Thinking 72
 
3.16.5 CS as AI 73
 
3.16.6 Is CS Magic? 74
 
3.17 Summary 76
 
3.18 Questions for the Reader 77
 
4 Science 78
 
4.1 Introduction 78
 
4.2 Science and Non-Science 79
 
4.3 Science as Systematic Study 80
 
4.4 The Goals of Science 81
 
4.4.1 Description 81
 
4.4.2 Explanation 82
 
4.4.3 Prediction 82
 
4.5 Instrumentalism vs. Realism 83
 
4.6 Scientific Theories 85
 
4.7 "The" Scientific Method 86
 
4.8 Falsifiability 88
 
4.8.1 Science as Conjectures and Refutations 88
 
4.8.2 The Logic of Falsifiability 89
 
4.8.3 Problems with Falsifiability 90
 
4.9 Scient

Product details

• Authors: Rapaport, William J Rapaport, William J. Rapaport, Wj Rapaport, Rapaport William J.
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.05.2023
• EAN: 9781119891901
• ISBN: 978-1-119-89190-1
• No. of pages: 528
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Philosophie, Informatik, Computerwissenschaft, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Technology, philosophische Logik, Philosophie in den Naturwissenschaften, Philosophie i. d. Technik, Philosophical Logic, Philosophie der Informatik