Is Computer Science a "science"

[Skeng DX]

social science or maths?

Interesting: The International Baccalaureate program has re-defined computer science as an “experimental science” rather than as a “mathematics.” Only a few states classify CS as a math or science for high school graduation, andGeorgia is the only one that (like IB) classifies it as a science.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) computer science course will be taught as an option in group 4, experimental sciences, from August 2012.

Computer science previously formed an option in group 5 of the Diploma Programme curriculum but now lies within group 4. As such, it is regarded as an experimental science, alongside biology, chemistry, design
technology, physics and environmental systems and societies. This group change is significant as it means DP students can now select computer science as their group 4 subject rather than having to select it in addition to mathematics as was previously the case.

http://computinged.wordpress.com/201...ence/#comments

[Skeng DX]

islandman clear up this for me

[Paul Marin]

islandman clear up this for me

SkengD - I have my bachelors degree in Computer Science and have worked in technology for over 25 years. I would argue that there are many components to the practical application of the discipline of CS that go beyond programming that are not taught in schools, not only in my era, but in today's world as well. If these are factored in, the classification becomes even more challenging.

Be that as it may, if one considers CS as "learning how to program and design software applications", I would argue that the discipline is more akin (as one of the posts in the link you gave said), to architecture+design+engineering but I would also emphasize that like engineering and architecture, programming is built on a foundation of mathematics.

I have found over the years that the best programmers are those that have the ability to apply mathematical solutions (in the form of a computer program) to a real world problem, not unlike the best engineers who often rely on a foundation of mathematics to solve their real world problems as well. Without mathematics, I submit that don't end up with programmers, you end up with hackers.

Anyway, my two cents on the decision in the IB program is that there is no harm in reclassifying the subject outside the sciences (I am unsure of the nuances of their curriculum, so I might miss something), but if Computer Science is the practice of creating programmers, I would say that most aspects of the discipline (data structures, databasing, application architecture, UI design etc.) require a foundation in maths more than any other discipline. As such, it more closely parallels engineering to my way of thinking than it does traditional sciences.

Hope this makes sense.

[Muadib]

Applied Math Comp Sci Track.

When mi guh school dem nevah have a Bachelors Comp Sci degree some did tek Physics with Comp Sci Track..

Mi nuh know if is good school ting but ah suh it did set..

[Paul Marin]

Applied Math Comp Sci Track.

When mi guh school dem nevah have a Bachelors Comp Sci degree some did tek Physics with Comp Sci Track..

Mi nuh know if is good school ting but ah suh it did set..

When did you go to school Muadib?

The one thing I forgot to mention was that I am unclear why the IB would reclassify it as an "experimental science". That doesn't seem to make sense to me. The one thing about computer science is that you are almost always applying a methodology and process to creating solutions to real world problems. That methodology and the processes change with the emergence of new technologies, so in that sense it is experimental, but the same holds true for engineering.

[Muadib]

Mid 80s..

[Skeng DX]

thank you

[Skeng DX]

wah that electronics/modern physics?