Scott David Daniels wrote: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >>... >>I think teaching programming outside a context - as an abstract >>discipline - is unavoidably problematic in this regard. >> >> >I would have more sympathy if you would subscribe to the same philosophy >for "geometry" and "mathematics." As someone who has concentrated on >computer science and "The Art of Computer Programming" for a huge number >of years, I am offended at the denigration of my field of study (or at >least what I perceive to be a denigration). > > And I would have more sympathy if you were willing to deal separattely and distinctly with computer science, as science and the "Art of Computer Programming" as an art. I personally have very little interest in (but great respect for) the former, and a good deal of personal interest in the latter. Maybe its harder for those who started by writing machine code to make the distinction than it is for those of us who only came to the party when and becuase high level languages were developed.
It is indeed stimulating and challenging to attempt to communicate with a complex machine, and do so with elegance. But I don't find it difficult at all to maintain that the pursuit is different in nature from the study of mathematics and geometry. Some wold argue that mathematics and geometry are there whether we as a race are or are not. Certainly though they are there whether my machine powers up or does not. >>I am not convinced "programming" as a stand-alone subject cannot be optimum >>as an approach. >> >> >Why is this different from saying, "I am not convinced 'mathematics' as >a stand-alone subject cannot be optimum as an approach?" "Only in the >context of physics or engineering or ...." > > I believe computer science is a stand alone subject, and that programming is natural in the context of a computer science curriculum.. But I do that think someone like yourself is in fact actually studying programming in a particular context. Maybe its most general context . But a quite specific context nonetheless. >Please distinguish from the teaching of the computer science and/or >programming that _you_ want to learn from that that _anyone_ might >want to learn. > > > >>And why I am committed to annoy everyone until >>everyone sees everything my way. >> >> >Well, you certainly accomplished the "annoy" part today. Perhaps I >am just in a cranky mood. > > Perhaps an attempt to liberate programming from the control of computer scientists is bound to annoy a computer scientist, a bit. ;) Art _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list [email protected] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
