Is programming/computer science an art or science? or both?

Is programming an art or science? Or both? I don't know how programming
can belong
to art, because programming requires algorithms, and math is science.
Art is subjective,
and science is objective. How can programming be subjective? If the
program doesn't
produces the right output, then there is a bug.


And how about computer science, is computer science an art or science?
Some schools
put this major in Languages and Arts department.

I just know computer science != programming.

Please advise. thanks!!

apngss{}yahoo.com wrote:

> Is programming an art or science? Or both? I don't know how programming
> can belong
> to art, because programming requires algorithms, and math is science.
> Art is subjective,
> and science is objective. How can programming be subjective? If the
> program doesn't
> produces the right output, then there is a bug.

For me both art and programming are subjective and objective the same
way. The sole act of creation (of program, painting, sculpture) is
undoubtedly objective (creation of concrete entities), but the act of
evaluation and possibly (dis)appreciation is entirely subjective. No
difference for me. And (in case you don't know from personal experience)
programmers are often motivated and guided in their work by subjective
values like elegance.

> And how about computer science, is computer science an art or science?

This one is trickier. Vide infra.

> Some schools
> put this major in Languages and Arts department.

Give me a break! Which ones?

> I just know computer science != programming.

IMHO CS is much closer to "science" than "art" but the crux is
subjective evaluation which can cause all sorts of things appear
artistic (like seeing a beautiful and brilliant proof of algorithm
correctness, which happenened, I hope, not only in my past).

apngss{}yahoo.com wrote:
> Is programming an art or science? Or both? I don't know how programming
> can belong to art, because programming requires algorithms, and math is science.
> Art is subjective, and science is objective. How can programming be subjective? If the
> program doesn't produces the right output, then there is a bug.
>
> And how about computer science, is computer science an art or science?
> Some schools put this major in Languages and Arts department.
>
> I just know computer science != programming.
>
> Please advise. thanks!!

Programming is design which requires imagination. It is a science
because it implements algorithms of mathematics and logic. It is also
engineering which requires tradeoffs of size, speed, maintainability,
and time to implement. It is art because it requires the programmer
to choose the most efficient and elegant of multiple possible solutions.

<apngss{}yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1127919936.669998.233490{}o13g2000cwo.googleg roups.com...
> Is programming an art or science? Or both? I don't know how programming
> can belong
> to art, because programming requires algorithms, and math is science.
> Art is subjective,
> and science is objective. How can programming be subjective? If the
> program doesn't
> produces the right output, then there is a bug.
>
>
> And how about computer science, is computer science an art or science?
> Some schools
> put this major in Languages and Arts department.
>
> I just know computer science != programming.
>
> Please advise. thanks!!
>

Why do you care?
--
Peter Bushell
http://www.software-integrity.com/

> Is programming an art or science? Or both?

Neither. Programming is a craft. :-)

> I don't know how programming can belong to art, because
> programming requires algorithms, and math is science.

Painting requires paints, and chemistry is a science...

Laurent

apngss{}yahoo.com writes:

> Is programming an art or science? Or both?

Since art is subjective, the answers you get to this will be just
as subjective.

My take: programming--the act of writing programs--is both. One
of analogs I like is that programming is much like architecture.

Architecture uses--depends on--material *sciences* and engineering,
but also has a strong aesthetic component. It's not just that a
building should look good and fit in with its environment, it's
also things like how it flows and works for its occupants.

Same with software. Just working isn't enough--much software also
interacts with humans, so there are aesthetic and human factor
components. None of which is a science.

Also, just as there are many ways to design a building, there are
many ways to design a software. Many of the choices are creative
in nature.

> And how about computer science, is computer science an art or
> science?

Why do you think it's called Computer Science? (-:

> I just know computer science != programming.

A quote I've always liked is that Computer Science is no more about
computers than astronomy is about telescopes.

Which is to say that it's a LITTLE BIT about them, but they are not
at all the point. They are a means.

Computer Science is about the *Science* of Computation.

--
|_ CJSonnack <Chris{}Sonnack.com> _____________| How's my programming? |
|_ http://www.Sonnack.com/ ___________________| Call: 1-800-DEV-NULL |
|_____________________________________________|___ ____________________|

On 28 Sep 2005 08:05:36 -0700, apngss{}yahoo.com wrote:

> Is programming an art or science? Or both? I don't know how programming
> can belong to art, because programming requires algorithms, and math is science.

Art requires chemistry, geometry, metallurgy...

> Art is subjective, and science is objective. How can programming be subjective? If the
> program doesn't produces the right output, then there is a bug.

It is a vicious circle. Bug = when output is wrong. But:

1. Which output is right? ("No space left on hard drive! So, what?")
2. How to evaluate outputs from inputs? ("What if I press this button?")
3. Do we know the inputs? ( "What a hell is going on?")
.. . .

> And how about computer science, is computer science an art or science?
> Some schools put this major in Languages and Arts department.
>
> I just know computer science != programming.

Computer science is a science. (:-))

Programming is an engineering activity which applies that science.

Though, CS is not much science (yet). It is close to what Ernest Rutherford
called "stamp collecting." (:-))

--
Regards,
Dmitry A. Kazakov
http://www.dmitry-kazakov.de

both

moop™ wrote
(in article
<1127957986.901772.290660{}z14g2000cwz.googlegroup s.com>):

> both
>

How wonderfully content-free.

--
Randy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR)