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Does Philosophy Have a Role in Computer Science?

Johannes Climacus asks: "It would seem to me that philosophical works of philosophers such as Aristotle, Leibniz, Frege, Russell, and Tarski could play a central role in a Computer Science curriculum, as they form a mathematical basis of modern CS and Math. Ethicists such as Plato, Kant, Hegel, Mill, and Heidegger might also play a normative role in Computer Ethics and technology in general. However, I haven't seen any philosophical discussion in any of my theoretical computer science courses besides some simple logic. Is it the same elsewhere? How often do philosophical concerns play into Computer Science education as a whole? What role does (or could) philosophy have in Computer Science or Information Technology?"

2 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No thanks. by linguae · · Score: 4, Informative
    IMHO, logic is math, not philosophy.

    From Wikipedia:

    Traditionally, logic is studied as a branch of philosophy. Since the mid-nineteenth century logic has been commonly studied in mathematics, and, even more recently, in computer science. As a formal science, logic investigates and classifies the structure of statements and arguments, both through the study of formal systems of inference and through the study of arguments in natural language. The scope of logic can therefore be very large, ranging from core topics such as the study of fallacies and paradoxes, to specialist analyses of reasoning such as probably correct reasoning and arguments involving causality.

    Philosophy is a lot more logical than most people would assume at first glance.

  2. Re:Yes, by stonecypher · · Score: 4, Informative

    Philosophy is the aggregation, study, refinement and analysis of knowledge as a whole. The word itself means "the love of knowledge." If you think that has no impact on the real world, I feel very sad for you.

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    StoneCypher is Full of BS