Philosophy of Computer Science: Online Resources

Position Papers

Last Update: Monday, 30 May 2022


Introduction (for the Student)

One of the best ways to learn how to do philosophy and, perhaps more importantly, to find out what your beliefs are about important issues—as well as what your reasons for your beliefs are!—is to write about them and then to discuss what you've written with others who have also thought and written about about the issues: your "peers".

So the writing assignments take the form of "position papers"; you will be:

This should help you to clarify your own position on the topic.

When you write, you should imagine that you're writing a computer program for someone to read. Therefore, you need to express yourself as clearly as possible so that the reader will understand you. Because of space limitations (1 or 2 pages), don't say anything that isn't directly relevant to what you want the reader to understand, but you should say everything that you think the reader would need in order to understand you. (Compare a similar remark about reading, in §8.2 of the book.)

Further Reading: For help with writing a philosophical paper, see:

and a wonderfully dynamic slideshow:

For general advice on how to write, on grammar and punctuation, giving citations, etc., see my website "How to Write"

Position Paper #1:   What Is Computer Science?
Position Paper #2:   What Is Computation?
Position Paper #3:   Is the Brain a Computer?
Position Paper #4:   What Is a Computer Program?
Position Paper #5:   Can Computers Think?
Optional Position Paper:   A Competition




Copyright © 2022 by William J. Rapaport (rapaport@buffalo.edu)
http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/OR/A1positionpapers-wiley.tex-20220530