Article
Computers
Pacific Philosophical Quarterly
(2008)
Abstract
I offer an explication of the notion of computer, grounded in
the practices of computability theorists and computer scientists. I begin by
explaining what distinguishes computers from calculators. Then, I offer a
systematic taxonomy of kinds of computer, including hard-wired versus
programmable, general-purpose versus special-purpose, analog versus
digital, and serial versus parallel, giving explicit criteria for each kind.
My account is mechanistic: which class a system belongs in, and which
functions are computable by which system, depends on the system’s
mechanistic properties. Finally, I briefly illustrate how my account sheds
light on some issues in the history and philosophy of computing as well
as the philosophy of mind.
Keywords
- computer,
- calculator,
- digital,
- analog
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter February 28, 2008
DOI
10.1111/j.1468-0114.2008.00309.x
Citation Information
Gualtiero Piccinini. "Computers" Pacific Philosophical Quarterly Vol. 89 Iss. 1 (2008) p. 32 - 73 ISSN: 1468-0114 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gualtiero-piccinini/1/