i++ School Newsletter

Week commencing 15 December 2008

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The Philosophy of Computer Science - Preliminary Call for Papers

The 7th European conference on Computing And Philosophy—ECAP 2009 and Special issue of Minds and Machines (2010) invites submissions concerned with philosophical issues that arise from reflection upon the nature and practice of the academic discipline of computer science. In particular we welcome submissions concerned with issues and questions such as those listed in the full call for papers.
 
Two special editions of Minds and Machines (2007) and the Journal of Applied Logic (2008) dedicated to the philosophy of computer science have already appeared in print. Another special edition of Minds and Machines is planned for 2010. Papers submitted to the “Philosophy of Computer Science” track in ECAP 2009 will also be considered for publication in the special issue of Minds and Machines.
 
ECAP 2009 conference track
 
Important dates (tentative):
·         Submission deadline: 23 February 2009
·         Notification: 16 March 2009
·         Conference: 2-4 July 2009
Submission guidelines: See ECAP 2009 guidelines
 
Papers submitted to the “Philosophy of Computer Science” track in ECAP 2009 will also be considered for publication in the special issue of Minds and Machines.
 
Raymond Turner, track chair
 
Minds & Machines special issue
 
Important dates (tentative):
·         Submission deadline: 1 December 2009
·         Notification: 1 May 2010
·         Appearance: December 2010
Submission guidelines: See Springer' Instructions to Authors
 
Two special editions of Minds and Machines (2007) and the Journal of Applied Logic (2008) dedicated to the philosophy of computer science have already appeared in print. Another special edition of Minds and Machines is planned for 2010.
 
Raymond Turner, editor, special issue
Amnon H. Eden, associate editor, Minds and Machines

Book Published

Raymond Turner, Computable Models, 2009, Approx. 310 p., Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-84882-051-7, published by Springer

Computable models pervade present day science and engineering and are implicit in the specification of software systems. Raymond Turner first provides a logical framework for specification and the design of specification languages, then uses this framework to introduce and study computable models. In doing so he presents the first systematic attempt to provide computable models with a logical foundation.
Computable models have wide-ranging applications from programming language semantics and the definition of specification languages, through to knowledge representation languages and formalisms for natural language semantics. They are also implicit in the computer modelling employed in many areas of science and engineering.
This detailed investigation into the logical foundations of specification and its application to the construction of computable models should be of interest to a wide range of researchers including graduate students in mathematical logic and computer science.

Written for: Graduate students and researchers in theoretical computer science, artificial intelligence and mathematical logic

Paper Published

Raymond Turner, Amnon H. Eden, The Philosophy of Computer Science, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2008 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)