The Porphyrian Tree and Multiple Inheritance. A Rejoinder to Tylman on Computer Science and Philosophy

Foundations of Science 23 (1):173-180 (2018)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Tylman has recently pointed out some striking conceptual and methodological analogies between philosophy and computer science. In this paper, I focus on one of Tylman’s most convincing cases, viz. the similarity between Plato’s theory of Ideas and the object-oriented programming paradigm, and analyze it in some more detail. In particular, I argue that the platonic doctrine of the Porphyrian tree corresponds to the fact that most object-oriented programming languages do not support multiple inheritance. This analysis further reinforces Tylman’s point regarding the conceptual continuity between classical metaphysical theorizing and contemporary computer science.

Categories

Keywords

Reprint years

DOI

10.1007/s10699-017-9531-1

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 92,197

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

My notes

Similar books and articles

Computer Science and Philosophy: Did Plato Foresee Object-Oriented Programming?Wojciech Tylman - 2018 - Foundations of Science 23 (1):159-172.
A Clash of Intuitions: The Current State of Nonmonotonic Multiple Inheritance Systems.Richmond H. Thomason & John F. Horty - unknown
Automata, Languages and Programming: 20th International Colloquium, ICALP 93, Lund, Sweden, July 5-9, 1993. Proceedings.Andrzej Lingas & Rolf Karlsson - 1993 - Springer.
Decoupling as a Fundamental Value of Computer Science.Timothy Colburn & Gary Shute - 2011 - Minds and Machines 21 (2):241-259.
Multiple realization and methodological pluralism.Robert C. Richardson - 2009 - Synthese 167 (3):473-492.
Some Philosophical Issues in Computer Science.Amnon H. Eden - 2011 - Minds and Machines 21 (2):123-133.
K-Tme: A multiple tree vidde multicast protocol for Ad Hoe wireless networks.B. Animdh, T. B. Reddy & C. S. R. Murthy - 2006 - In O. Stock & M. Schaerf (eds.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer Verlag.
Specification.Raymond Turner - 2011 - Minds and Machines 21 (2):135-152.
The Role Of Models In Computer Science.James H. Fetzer - 1999 - The Monist 82 (1):20-36.
Automata, Languages and Programming.Werner Kuich - 1992 - Springer.
O związkach informatyki z matematyką.Izabela Bondecka-Krzykowska - 2010 - Filozofia Nauki 18 (1).
Philosophy of Computer Science.William J. Rapaport - 2005 - Teaching Philosophy 28 (4):319-341.
Niche Inheritance: A Possible Basis for Classifying Multiple Inheritance Systems in Evolution.John Odling-Smee - 2007 - Biological Theory 2 (3):276-289.
Creativity in Computer Science.Daniel Saunders & Paul Thagard - unknown
Computer simulation and the features of novel empirical data.Greg Lusk - 2016 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 56:145-152.

Analytics

Added to PP
2017-06-26

Downloads
32 (#502,127)

6 months
5 (#647,370)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Citations of this work

Seneca’s and Porphyry’s Trees in Modern Interpretation.Jens Lemanski - 2023 - In Jens Lemanski & Ingolf Max (eds.), Historia Logicae and its Modern Interpretation. London: College Publications. pp. 61-87.

Add more citations

References found in this work

On Metaphysics.Roderick M. Chisholm - 1984 - Univ of Minnesota Press.
The traditional square of opposition.Terence Parsons - 2008 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Logical Geometries and Information in the Square of Oppositions.Hans5 Smessaert & Lorenz6 Demey - 2014 - Journal of Logic, Language and Information 23 (4):527-565.
On Metaphysics.Roderick M. CHISHOLM - 1989 - Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale 96 (1):129-129.

View all 19 references / Add more references