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Computer science is a liberal arts degree

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Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#151

Post by ThrowITout4321 »

SilverBirch wrote: post #121
ankurdhama wrote: post #76

Ah, the ever green tradition of humans to define very fuzzy categories and then debating enlessly about what stuff belongs to what category.

I don't think that's what the author is doing. I think the author is arguing that the skills taught in liberal art degrees are often skills that people who do computer science need but don't value. Becuase computer science degrees answer the question of "how to build" not "what to build" but the value is in "what to build".

Apple has capitalized on the liberal arts aspects of tech. They were able to figure out how to make computers useful and desirable to the every-man thanks to it. Without it, computers would have mostly been relegated to the work environment.

I agree computer science needs to change. There needs to be a way to incorporate some of those aspects into a CS degree. If we want the full advantages of tech in our lives.

Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#152

Post by uneekname »

anthk wrote: post #145
uneekname wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think your argument is sound, but I disagree. I think that CS degrees should absolutely involve more "humanities." CS, or any other "STEM" field, cannot be separated from human history, philosophy, ethics. As pure as it might seem, even maths and computers exist within a complex humanities context.

Wrong. Math exist by themselves being properties.

I agree that math exists in of itself, which is what makes math so beautiful in my opinion.

To clarify my argument, I think the learning and usage of math by humans is what introduces such messy yet important ideas to the subject. This is even more true for CS and the classic sciences.

Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#153

Post by savolai »

renewiltord wrote: post #140
savolai wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If all that stuff is easy then why avoid the discussion? You would think you could just tell us why the papers are irrelevant to current tech discussion, instead of just dismissing it with secondary arguments?

The stuff is easy. Telling you why it's not necessary in education is hard. But it's okay. I thought about it and I realized I’d entered a discussion I don’t care that much for. So I’ll apologize and step out. And concede if that helps.

It’s a matter-of-fact discussion, feel free. Thank you for the cordiality.

It seems obvious though, I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood how deep this particular rabbit hole goes.

Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#154

Post by samarama »

apocadam wrote: post #29
samarama wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mathematics is the most science and least art form possible. Every other field of study has more artsiness than Mathematics. However, Mathematics also still has a lot of artsiness to it.

Good, he did not have enough imagination to become a mathematician. [Upon hearing that one of his students had dropped out to study poetry] - David Hilbert

Do you have an example of an academic field of study that is less of an art and more structured than Mathematics?

Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#155

Post by spacemanmatt »

lthornberry wrote: post #68
spacemanmatt wrote: post #17

Application development is a blended skill and computer science is not the only discipline involved. CS is a mathematical science, not a liberal arts topic. This author is way off base.

"Liberal arts" is not a synonym for "humanities." I am a college professor; the majority of students at all the schools I've been affiliated get a liberal arts degree. This includes math majors, physics majors, etc. And even the historians and philosophers are generally required to take math and science courses as part of their liberal arts degrees. "Liberal arts" refers to a tradition of education across the major d…

Thank you for pointing this out. I do prefer to be more accurate than I was.

Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#156

Post by spacemanmatt »

eimrine wrote: post #53
spacemanmatt wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Math is abstract, so I would expect experiments in math to have abstract results. I don't think that makes it less of a science.

Any experiment has an abstract result. For example: If throwing a rock from the tower of Pisa gave us result that acceleration of gravity on Earth is 9.8 m/s^2 then that number will be exactly same for throwing any other materials from any other tower on the Earth.

The result of 9.8m/s^2 is descriptive of a concrete result, isn't it?

Re: Computer science is a liberal arts degree

#158

Post by curt15 »

eimrine wrote: post #54
spacemanmatt wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like we have a better definition of math than we do of art. Thus it's a lot easier to accurately declare a thing is not math, than it is to accurately declare a thing is not art.

Do you have any better definition of math then "that what mathematicians do"?

William Thurston described mathematics as part psychology [1].

[1] https://mathoverflow.net/a/44213

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