Decoupling as a Fundamental Value of Computer Science

Authors:
Timothy Colburn;Gary Shute
Affiliations:
Department of Computer Science, University of Minnesota, Duluth, USA;Department of Computer Science, University of Minnesota, Duluth, USA
Venue:
Minds and Machines
Year:
2011

Citing 4
Cited 1

Design patterns: elements of reusable object-oriented software

Design patterns: elements of reusable object-oriented software
Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Computing and Information

Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Computing and Information
Abstraction in Computer Science

Minds and Machines
Thinking Machines and the Philosophy of Computer Science: Concepts and Principles

Thinking Machines and the Philosophy of Computer Science: Concepts and Principles

Some Philosophical Issues in Computer Science

Minds and Machines

Quantified Score

Hi-index	0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Computer science is an engineering science whose objective is to determine how to best control interactions among computational objects. We argue that it is a fundamental computer science value to design computational objects so that the dependencies required by their interactions do not result in couplings, since coupling inhibits change. The nature of knowledge in any science is revealed by how concepts in that science change through paradigm shifts, so we analyze classic paradigm shifts in both natural and computer science in terms of decoupling. We show that decoupling pervades computer science both at its core and in the wider context of computing at large, and lies at the very heart of computer science's value system.