The definition of computer science can differ depending on who is answering the question. I have studied computer science for over 2 years, and i think i am getting closer to understanding what it’s all about. Here is the thing computer science gets confused with the regular sciences for example chemistry, biology or astronomy. In this sciences we can look a specific item and study it and learn from it, for example in chemistry we can study the natural elements, in biology we can study the organs and in astronomy we can look at the stars. But in none of this sciences do we try to change any of them to do something else besides what they do already.
In computer science it’s different and here is the reason for this being so because we deal with what is called an “artificial artifact” and that’s just a fancy way of saying that we deal with man created ideas, that’s right man created ideas! What are some of those ideas? well in short in simple think about how people communicate, we use symbols and letters to express certain ideas, same thing for computers they need symbols and some of the simplest symbols that we have are numbers, then the more abstract ones include letters. Those ideas expressed then need to create or do something this is where the Latin root of the English word compute is computare—meaning, calculating, figuring out. Thus, according to etymology, computation refers to the idea and the act of calculating.
The programmer, in the modern world of computer science here is where the ideas hit the floor. To be exact here is where taking a mathematical concept and putting it to the test to see of those “ideas” really do what you expect them to do, here is where the programmer comes into play. The programmer the shear creator of the “artificial artifacts” will be the one that dictates how he or she perceives the world and that is how the system will act.
That’s all great but what’s computer science? That’s the thing that question is one of the most difficult to answer, for example if i was to ask you what is a laptop computer? More then likely the answer will be, well it has a screen and a keyboard etc. All those items follow the laws of the physical world and that answer could be the right one, but the answer starts breaking down when some of the complexities of what the machine actually is doing for example playing a game, opening a web browser , chatting with a friend online, watching elli the computer guy etc. None of this things can you hold in your physical world and say “look here grab that Firefox”. What that means in computer science is that we deal with what is artificial. The true answer is to study and learn more about computer science, grow and help refine the field of computer science and maybe one day we will have a definition of computer science.
Now the fun part, now that you have a better idea of what computer science is. Look at some of the definitions that people try to give it, as a computer scientist i am disgusted about some of the definitions.
Till Next Time
-Rick
I always had a passion for the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and I knew I wanted to do something to make a difference in the world. I just didn’t know where to start. I was an immigrant in a new country, grew up in a tough environment, and wasn’t sure how… Read More
