Type and Metaphor for Computer Programmers.

The duality of computer programs is characterized, on the one hand, by their physical implementations on physical devices, and, on the other, by the conceptual implementations in programmers' minds of the objects making up the computational processes they conceive. We contend that central to program...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Techné: Research in Philosophy & Technology Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 71 - 106
Main Authors: Colburn, Timothy, Shute, Gary
Format: Article
Published: Philosophy Documentation Center 2017
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Description
Summary:The duality of computer programs is characterized, on the one hand, by their physical implementations on physical devices, and, on the other, by the conceptual implementations in programmers' minds of the objects making up the computational processes they conceive. We contend that central to programmers' conceptual implementations are (i) the concept of type, at both the programming and the design level, and (ii) metaphors created to facilitate these implementations.