Dasgupta, Subrata.
Oxford, [England] : Oxford University Press, [2014]
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Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 295-310) and index.
- In It Began With Babbage, Subrata Dasgupta examines the unique history of computer science in terms of its creative innovations, spanning back to Charles Babbage in 1819. Since all artifacts of computer science are conceived with a use in mind, the computer scientist is not concerned with the natural laws that govern disciplines like physics or chemistry the computer scientist is more concerned with the concept of purpose. This requirement lends itself to a type of creative thinking that, as Dasgupta shows us, has exhibited itself throughout the history of computer science. From Babbage’s Difference Engine, through the Second World War, to the establishment of the term Computer Science in 1956, It Began With Babbage traces a lively and complete history of computer science.
- Prologue — Leibniz’s theme, Babbage’s dream — Weaving algebraic patterns — Missing links — Entscheidungsproblem : what’s in a word? — Towards a holy grail — Intermezzo — A tangled web of inventions — A paradigm is born — A liminal artifact of an uncommon nature — Glimpses of a scientific style — I compute, therefore I am — The best way to design — Language games — Going heuristic — An explosion of subparadigms — Aesthetica — Epilogue.
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