Philosophy of computation and information

Argomento del corso (in Inglese) Philosophy of Computing and Information (60 ore, 9cfu)

Unità didattica A (20 ore, 3cfu): Mathematical Foundation
Unità didattica B (20 ore, 3cfu): Engineering Foundation
Unità didattica C (20 ore, 3cfu): Experimental Foundation

This module, designed for Master Students in Philosophy aims at providing students with the technical and conceptual tools to understand and master the mathematical, engineering and experimental foundations of computability and information theory

Presentazione del corso

Computing is developing academically and industrially, and it has a huge impact on everyday's life. This requires not only for practitioners to be aware of the delicate and extensive role they are playing in society, but it also imposes an essential task to disciplines like Philosophy that have traditionally played a critical role on the methodological and epistemological nature of the sciences. Computing and information represent new essential disciplines for students of philosophy, be they oriented towards an academic or professional career, to reflect and judge upon, to assess their working methodologies and foresee future developments. By locating computing in its conceptual, technical and historical evolution and by learning the principles that define it, students will gain a critical awareness and technical knowledge of the processes by which computing has become an essential aspect of our lives and will understand how this subject is located with respect to other sciences. After completing the module, students will be better equipped to understand research directions, commercial and industrial developments, but also the requirements that society can and will impose on such developments.

Prerequisiti

Successful completion of at least one module in Logic is strongly recommended to students who wish to enrol for this module.


Risultati di apprendimento

Conoscenze:
The module provides knowledge of philosophical and technical literature in the area of computing and the philosophy of information; principles of logic, thinking and argumentative skills on the nature of science and technology; and the understanding of new software and data-intensive science methodologies.

Competenze:
The module will provide students with technical and analytical skills in the following topics:

- Logic and computability
- Algorithms
- Turing Computability
- Program Correctness
- von Neumann Architecture
- Laws of Computing Evolution
- Computational Validity
- Specification and Implementation
- Errors in Computing
- Computer Modelling
- Computer Experiments
- Computer Simulations

Indicazioni bibliografiche

G.Primiero. On the Foundations of Computing. To be made available to students.

Programma d'esame per studenti frequentanti

Unità didattica A
Mathematical Foundations of Computing:
1. The foundational Crisis of Mathematics
2. Computing and Decidability
3. Definition of Computable
4. Mechanical Computation
5. On the Nature of Algorithms
6. Program Correctness

Unità didattica B
Engineering Foundations of Computing:
1. von Neumann Design
2. Universality and All-purposefulness
3. The Laws of Computing Evolution
4. Validity in Computing
5. Specification and Implementation
6. A Science of Information

Unità didattica C
The Experimental Foundation of Computing:
1. Computer Experiments
2. Computer Models
3. Computer Simulations
4. Simulations and Experiments
5. Epistemology of Simulation

Programma d'esame per studenti non frequentanti

Unità Didattica A
Dispense fornite dal docente/Handouts provided by the teacher

Unità Didattica B
Dispense fornite dal docente/Handouts provided by the teacher

Unità Didattica C
Dispense fornite dal docente/Handouts provided by the teacher

Avvertenza
Le modalità d'esame per studenti con disabilità e/o con DSA dovranno essere concordate col docente, in accordo con l'Ufficio competente.

10/09/2018