Abstract
In chapter eleven of "On The Foundation of Computing," Primiero takes on the implementation debate in computer science. He contrasts his theory with two other views—the Semantic and the specification—artifact. In this paper, I argue that there is a way to fine-tune the implementation concept further. Firstly, contrary to Primiero, I claim it is problematic to separate the implementation relationship from the conditions which make it correct. Secondly, by taking a pluralistic approach to implementation, I claim it is a mistake to try and provide a general theory of implementation for the entire production cycle of computational systems.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
For an overview of the subject matter covered in Part II and other parts of the book see: Symons and AbuMusab (2020).
The nature of the mind, whether it is physical or non-physical is hardly settled. The literature covering these issues is massive. For an introduction: Robinson, Howard, "Dualism", The Stanford Encyclopedia Philosophy (Fall 2020 Edition). Barbara Monetro has made arguments highlighting the difficult task of formulating the mind-body problem itself by questioning whether theorists’ have a handle on the nature of what is the ‘physical,’ see: (Montero 1999, 2009).
Curtis-Trudel (2021). “Why we need implementation theories?”.
Corey Maley disagrees. According to him the mind or brain is literally a computer, just not a digital computer, but an analog machine. See: Maley (2022), “How (and why) to think the brain is literally a computer,” Frontiers in Computre Science. Section: Theoritcal Computer Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomp.2022.970396.
See Ritchie and Piccinini (2019) for a survey of issues concerning implementation theories in the philosophy of mind.
I should note that this paper by Turner was published after Primiero’s book.
Turner also provides a another example of finding a physical artifact in a field and the investigator tinkering with its buttons and developing a theory to explain what the artifact likely does (Turner 2011, pg. 8).
Here I should note that In “The Foundation of Computation,” Primiero’s exposition of Turner’s position is not exactly in agreement with mine here. Where Primiero separates the three implementation as somewhat three disconnected theories, I take them as three interrelated components of a single notion.
Although, Primiero’s implementation theory is general and is capable of ranging over all LoAs, the correctness conditions which he goes on to provide seem to indicate otherwise.
For a detailed explanation of the logic of design by Primiero see: Primiero (2019).
For detailed take on the concept of misfunction and dysfunction see Floridi et al. (2015).
Of course, the program ought to perform the functional and procedural goals of the algorithm, but ideally this is captured by the representational theory of implementation (For one such example see: Rescorla 2014).
One concern here might be to question the focus on implementing the algorithm all the way to AEL. Why not focus on the α1, that is the intention of the client, and construe implementation as the implementation of intention from α1 to α5? Thus, frame the correctness conditions by focusing on the intentionality.
In case of CS, it might be more accurate to say a bridge between the gradated ontological domains, from the most abstract to concrete.
Note, one is not required to utilize Primiero’s general implementation theory but are free to pick the most fitting one for the project at hand.
Primiero would certainly disagree with referring to definition 121—functional correctness—as an implementation theory in its own right.
The “- > ” = the direction of governance.
References
Angius N, Primiero G, Turner R (2013) The philosophy of computer science, August 20, 2013. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2021/entries/computer-science/.
Angius N, Primiero G, Turner R (2021) The Philosophy of Computer Science. In: Zalta EN (eds) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2021/entries/computer-science/.
Chalmers DJ (1996) Does a rock implement every finite-state automaton? Synthese 108(3):309–333. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413692
Colburn TR (1999) Software, abstraction, and ontology. Monist 82(1):3–19. https://doi.org/10.5840/monist19998215
Copeland BJ (1996) What is computation? Synthese 108(3):335–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413693
Craver CF (2009) Explaining the Brain: Mechanisms and the Mosaic Unity of Neuroscience. First published in paperback, Reprinted 2013. Clarendon Press, Oxford. First published in paperback in 2009 by Oxford University Press.
Curtis-Trudel A (2021) Implementation as resemblance. Philos Sci 88(5):1021–1032. https://doi.org/10.1086/714872
Curtis-Trudel A (forthcoming) Why do we need a theory of implementation? Br J Philos Sci. https://doi.org/10.1086/714791
Floridi L, Fresco N, Primiero G (2015) On malfunctioning software. Synthese 192(4):1199–1220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-014-0610-3
Fodor JA (1987) Psychosemantics: the problem of meaning in the philosophy of mind. Explorations in Cognitive Science 2. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass
Fresco N, Primiero G (2013) Miscomputation. Philos Technol 26(3):253–272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-013-0112-0
Godfrey-Smith P (2009) Triviality arguments against functionalism. Philos Stud 145(2):273–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-008-9231-3
Irmak N (2012) Software is an abstract artifact. Grazer Philos Stud 86(1):55–72. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789401209182_005
Maley CJ (2022) How (and why) to think that the brain is literally a computer. https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2208.12032.
Monetro B (2009) What is the physical?. In: BP McLaughlin, Beckermann A, Walter S (eds)The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Mind, pp 173–88. Oxford Handbooks in Philosophy. Oxford, New York, Claredon Press, Oxford University Press.
Montero B (1999) The body problem. Nous 33(2):183–200. https://doi.org/10.1111/0029-4624.00149
Piccinini G (2015) Physical computation: a mechanistic account. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Primiero G (2014) A taxonomy of errors for information systems. Mind Mach 24(3):249–273. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-013-9307-5
Primiero G (2019) A logic of efficient and optimal designs. J Logic Comput 29(6):947–968. https://doi.org/10.1093/logcom/exz014
Primiero G (2020) On the foundations of computing, 1st edn. Oxford University Press, New York
Primiero G (2016) Information in the philosophy of computer science. In: The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Information, pp 90–106. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London New York
Putnam H (2011) Representation and reality. Representation and mind. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. First published 1988 by MIT Press.
Rapaport WJ (1999) The Hegeler institute. In: SJB Sugden (Eds) Implementation is Semantic Interpretation. Monist, vol 82, 1st edn. pp 109–30. https://doi.org/10.5840/monist19998212.
Rapaport WJ, The Hegeler Institute (2005) Implementation is semantic interpretation: further thoughts. J Exp Theor Artific Intell 17(4):385–417. https://doi.org/10.1080/09528130500283998
Rescorla M (2014) A theory of computational implementation. Synthese 191(6):1277–1307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-013-0324-y
Robinson H (2020) “Dualism,” August 19, 2003. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2020/entries/dualism/.
Ritchie JB, Piccinini G (2019) Computational implementation. In: Sprevak M, Colombo M (eds) The routledge handbook of the computational mind, Routledge handbooks in philosophy. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London, New York
Sprevak M (2012) Three challenges to chalmers on computational implementation | mark sprevak. J Cogn Sci 13:107–143
Sprevak M (2018) Triviality arguments about computational implementation. In: Sprevak M, Colombo M (eds) The Routledge handbook of the computational mind, 1st edn. Routledge, London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315643670
Symons J, Abumusab S (2021) Giuseppe Primiero’s on the foundations of computing’.BJPS Review of Books <www.thebsps.org/reviewofbooks/symons-abumusab-on-primiero/>.
Turner R (2011) Specification. Mind Mach 21(2):135–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-011-9239-x
Turner R (2020) Computational intention. Stud Logic Gramm Rhetor 63(1):19–30. https://doi.org/10.2478/slgr-2020-0025
Turner R (2021) Computational abstraction. Entropy 23(2):213. https://doi.org/10.3390/e23020213
Turner R (2012) Machines. In: A Computable universe, by hector Zenil, pp 63–76. WORLD SCIENTIFIC. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814374309_0004.
Turner R (2018) Computational artifacts: towards a philosophy of computer science. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, New York, NY
Acknowledgment
A special thank you goes to John Symons for his valuable feedback. I also thank Giuseppe Primiero for his insightful and generous conversations about his work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
AbuMusab, S. Implementing a Computing System: A Pluralistic Approach. glob. Philosophy 33, 20 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10516-023-09663-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10516-023-09663-5