Philosophy of Computer Science

What Is a Computer Program?

(Boldface items are particularly useful, important, or interesting.)

Last Update: 30 March 2007, 1:56 p.m.

Note: NEW or UPDATED material is highlighted


What Is Implementation?

  1. Chalmers, David J. (1993a), "A Computational Foundation for the Study of Cognition" (unpublished).

  2. Chalmers, David J. (1993b), "Does a Rock Implement Every Finite-State Automaton?", Synthese 108 (1996): 309-333.

  3. Suber, Peter (1997), "Formal Systems and Machines: An Isomorphism".

  4. Rapaport, William J. (1999), "Implementation Is Semantic Interpretation" [PDF], The Monist 82(1): 109-130.


Are Programs Theories?

  1. Simon, Herbert A. & Newell, Allen (1956), "Models: Their Uses and Limitations", in Leonard D. White (ed.), The State of the Social Sciences (Chicago: University of Chicago Press): 66-83.

  2. Weizenbaum, Joseph (1976), Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment to Calculation (New York: W.H. Freeman).

  3. Moor, James H. (1978), "Three Myths of Computer Science" British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 29(3) (September): 213-222.

  4. Johnson-Laird, Philip N. (1981), "Mental Models in Cognitive Science", in Donald A. Norman (ed.), Perspectives on Cognitive Science (Norwood, NJ: Ablex), Ch. 7 (pp. 147-191):

  5. Pylyshyn, Zenon W. (1984), Computation and Cognition: Toward a Foundation for Cognitive Science (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press), Ch. 3 ("The Relevance of Computation"), pp. 48-86, esp. the section "The Role of Computer Implementation" (pp. 74-78):

  6. Johnson-Laird, Philip N. (1988), The Computer and the Mind: An Introduction to Cognitive Science (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press), Ch. 3 ("Computability and Mental Processes"), pp. 37-53:

  7. Partridge, Derek; & Wilks, Yorick (eds.) (1990), The Foundations of Artificial Intelligence: A Sourcebook (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press).

    • Lockwood & SEL: Q335 .F68 1990

  8. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (92-102), 509 U.S. 579 (1993).

  9. Simon, Herbert A. (1996), The Sciences of the Artificial, Third Edition (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press), Ch. 1 ("Understanding the Natural and Artificial Worlds"), pp. 1-24 [PDF].

  10. Scheutz, Matthias; & Peschl, Markus (2000), "Some Thoughts on Computation and Simulation in Cognitive Science" [PDF], in Proceedings of the 6th Congress of the Austrian Philosophical Society: 534-540.

  11. Winsberg, Eric (2001), "Simulations, Models, and Theories: Complex Physical Systems and Their Representations", Proceedings of the 2000 Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association, Part I: Contributed Papers, Philosophy of Science 68(3) (September) Supplement: S442-S454.

  12. Coward, L. Andrew; & Sun, Ron (2001??), "Some Criteria for an Effective Scientific Theory of Consciousness and Examples of Preliminary Attempts at Such a Theory" [PDF].

  13. Peschl, Markus F.; & Scheutz, Matthias (2001), "Explicating the Epistemological Role of Simulation in the Development of Theories of Cognition" [PDF], in Proceedings of the 7th Colloquium on Cognitive Science (ICCS-01): 274-280.

  14. Lane, Peter C.R.; & Gobet, Fernand (2003), "Developing Reproducible and Comprehensible Computational Models" [PDF], Artificial Intelligence 144: 251-263.

  15. Humphreys, Paul (2002), "Computational Models", Philosophy of Science 69 (September): S1-S11.

  16. Green, Christopher D. (2004), "(How) Do Connectionist Networks Model Cognition?" (forthcoming and unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Philosophy, University of Toronto), Ch. 3 ("Philosophical Approaches to Explanation and Scientific Models, and Their Relations to Connectionist Cognitive Science") [.doc].

What Is Software?

  1. Moor, James H. (1978), "Three Myths of Computer Science" British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 29(3) (September): 213-222.

  2. Suber, Peter (1988), "What Is Software?", Journal of Speculative Philosophy 2(2): 89-119.

  3. Colburn, Timothy R. (1999), "Software, Abstraction, and Ontology" [PDF], The Monist 82(1): 3-19.




Copyright © 2004-2007 by William J. Rapaport (rapaport@cse.buffalo.edu)
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