<p>Very nice explanation from @Buffy, on the Computer Science Educators SE.</p>

<p><a href="https://cseducators.stackexchange.com/questions/6368/in-what-branch-of-science-does-technology-belongs/6369#6369">In what branch of science does technology belong?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-04T17:33:19.183Z
2020-06-08T23:06:18.290Z
2020-06-08T23:06:18.290Z
Loizos Vasileiou
<p>In answer to the original question, finding a &quot;category&quot; for</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>Data Analytics and Machine Learning</li>
<li>Computer Science and Physics</li>
<li>Computer Science and Mathematics</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>in the same vein as the &quot;networks&quot; and &quot;computing&quot; categories, I might call 2 &amp; 3 (and possibly 1) <em>Applied Computing</em> since they aren't about a CS topic but rather about applying CS topics to the benefit of other fields.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-19T13:02:08.847Z
2020-06-19T13:02:08.847Z
Chris Bohn
<p><strong>Sciences of the Artificial</strong></p>

<p>There are many ways to categorize the sciences.  Herbert Simon (Nobel Prize winner, pioneer of artificial intelligence as well as economics, organization theory, etc.) wrote a book-length essay called <em>The Sciences of the Artificial</em> to make a case for why the "applied" sciences have a rightful place in academia.</p>

<p>In <em>The Sciences of the Artificial</em>, Simon laid the foundations for a philosophy of the artificial and a science of design. Artificial (i.e. “man-made”) things surround us. They are constrained by physical laws and, if we want, we can study them “objectively” using the natural sciences: for example, a physicist could take an airplane as a given and study the way it is affected by the flow of wind. But this doesn’t really capture the whole truth of the artifact. An artifact such as an airplane also embodies certain goals that we need to grasp if we are to understand it.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“If science is to encompass these objects and phenomena in which human
  purpose as well as natural law are embodied, it must have means for
  relating these two disparate components.” (Simon, p. 3)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>An artifact for Simon could be seen as a meeting point between an “inner environment”, the way the artifact itself worked, and an “outer environment”, the problem it addresses and the context in which it operates. The relationship between the inner and outer environments is where we find human purpose. A problem solver, engineer, or designer is someone who tries to make the inner environment appropriate to the outer environment. For example: for the inventor of an airplane, the outer environment is characterized by the known laws of gravity and air pressure. He makes choices about the inner environment (the materials to use, the type of engine, and so forth) in order to achieve a goal—flight.</p>

<p><strong>"Goals" as subject of study</strong></p>

<p>For a while I did a lot of reviewing papers in the "design science" domain in my academic field.  Somewhere in all of that material (I can't remember the author) I came across a categorization of the sciences that used the relationship between the science and <em>human purpose</em>:</p>

<ul>
<li>The <em>physical sciences</em> such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, pay no attention to human goals.</li>
<li>The <em>social sciences</em> such as psychology, sociology, economics, study human motivations as natural phenomena, but are indifferent to them.</li>
<li>The <em>design sciences</em> or <em>sciences of the artificial</em> such as architecture, engineering, medicine, business, allow researchers to take sides, to work on important human goals.  They study <em>problems</em> as perceived by humans, and they study <em>solutions</em>, both using scientific methods.</li>
</ul>

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2020-06-05T19:30:38.950Z
That's a very interesting piece of information. Many thanks @workerjoe
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-05T14:15:44.800Z
2020-06-05T14:15:44.800Z
workerjoe
<p>I'm trying to categorize university courses of the department of computer science and electronic engineering.</p>

<p>Such courses may include:</p>

<ol>
<li>Data Analytics and Machine Learning</li>
<li>Computer Science and Physics</li>
<li>Computer Science and Mathematics</li>
<li>Cyber Security <strong>(NETWORKS CATEGORY)</strong></li>
<li>Computer Science and AI <strong>(COMPUTING CATEGORY)</strong></li>
<li>...</li>
</ol>

<p>With this small list of courses, if I were to combine courses in categories, what would be the best word to use for 1/2/3</p>

<hr>

<p>UPDATE:</p>

<p>I did some research and found out that science can be separated in <strong>Pure Sciences</strong> and <strong>Applied Sciences</strong>.</p>

<p><strong>Pure Science</strong> includes:</p>

<ol>
<li>Physical Science (Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy)</li>
<li>Earth Science (Geology, Oceanography, Paleontology, Meteorology, Petrology)</li>
<li>Life Science (Botany, Zoology, Genetics, Medicine, Nuitrition)</li>
</ol>

<p>But I'm not sure where <strong>TECHNOLOGY</strong> (Computation, Engineering, ...) belongs as well as <strong>ARTS</strong>?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-03T20:43:51.393Z
@EdwinAshworth I have no idea what you meant by that.
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-03T20:44:18.800Z
@BoldBen Okay, thanks for your reply.
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-04T10:17:43.123Z
@RichardKayser, thanks for your reply. Your opinion made me rethink about my question. It is not clear where these courses belong, as one university may offer different learning outcomes than another university. One might be centered on the computation and the other on pure mathematics etc. Also it is possible that the same course may be part of 1 or many categories.
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-04T10:19:17.803Z
should i close the question?
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-04T12:10:35.407Z
I have updated my question and also created a linked question to Computer Science Educators SE.
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-04T19:11:18.453Z
I don't know of any single-word, but all of the subjects that you're trying to lump together seem to be those of which, a deep understanding must be built on a foundation of mathematics. Mathematical notation is a _language_ that we use to describe and understand how the physical world works, and also, how our inventions work.
Solomon Slow
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-05T12:26:26.917Z
Thanks for your reply @SolomonSlow
Loizos Vasileiou
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-06T22:03:09.247Z
Is this a purely theoretical question, or are there more courses? This is a very strange list.
Ben I.
<curriculum>
Is there a word for mathematics/physics/data-analytics/....?
# Is there a word for mathematics/physics/data-analytics/....?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-03)

I'm trying to categorize university courses of the department of computer science and electronic engineering.

Such courses may include:

1. Data Analytics and Machine Learning
2. Computer Science and Physics
3. Computer Science and Mathematics
4. Cyber Security **(NETWORKS CATEGORY)**
5. Computer Science and AI **(COMPUTING CATEGORY)**
6. ...

With this small list of courses, if I were to combine courses in categories, what would be the best word to use for 1/2/3

---

UPDATE:

I did some research and found out that science can be separated in **Pure Sciences** and **Applied Sciences**.

**Pure Science** includes:

1. Physical Science (Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy)
2. Earth Science (Geology, Oceanography, Paleontology, Meteorology, Petrology)
3. Life Science (Botany, Zoology, Genetics, Medicine, Nuitrition)

But I'm not sure where **TECHNOLOGY** (Computation, Engineering, ...) belongs as well as **ARTS**?

**Tags:** curriculum

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @EdwinAshworth I have no idea what you meant by that.  
> **username_0**: @BoldBen Okay, thanks for your reply.  
> **username_0**: @RichardKayser, thanks for your reply. Your opinion made me rethink about my question. It is not clear where these courses belong, as one university may offer different learning outcomes than another university. One might be centered on the computation and the other on pure mathematics etc. Also it is possible that the same course may be part of 1 or many categories.  
> **username_0**: should i close the question?  
> **username_0**: I have updated my question and also created a linked question to Computer Science Educators SE.  
> **username_1**: I don't know of any single-word, but all of the subjects that you're trying to lump together seem to be those of which, a deep understanding must be built on a foundation of mathematics. Mathematical notation is a _language_ that we use to describe and understand how the physical world works, and also, how our inventions work.  
> **username_0**: Thanks for your reply @SolomonSlow  
> **username_2**: Is this a purely theoretical question, or are there more courses? This is a very strange list.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-06-05. Score: 6

**Sciences of the Artificial**

There are many ways to categorize the sciences. Herbert Simon (Nobel Prize winner, pioneer of artificial intelligence as well as economics, organization theory, etc.) wrote a book-length essay called *The Sciences of the Artificial* to make a case for why the "applied" sciences have a rightful place in academia.

In *The Sciences of the Artificial*, Simon laid the foundations for a philosophy of the artificial and a science of design. Artificial (i.e. “man-made”) things surround us. They are constrained by physical laws and, if we want, we can study them “objectively” using the natural sciences: for example, a physicist could take an airplane as a given and study the way it is affected by the flow of wind. But this doesn’t really capture the whole truth of the artifact. An artifact such as an airplane also embodies certain goals that we need to grasp if we are to understand it.

> “If science is to encompass these objects and phenomena in which human
> purpose as well as natural law are embodied, it must have means for
> relating these two disparate components.” (Simon, p. 3)

An artifact for Simon could be seen as a meeting point between an “inner environment”, the way the artifact itself worked, and an “outer environment”, the problem it addresses and the context in which it operates. The relationship between the inner and outer environments is where we find human purpose. A problem solver, engineer, or designer is someone who tries to make the inner environment appropriate to the outer environment. For example: for the inventor of an airplane, the outer environment is characterized by the known laws of gravity and air pressure. He makes choices about the inner environment (the materials to use, the type of engine, and so forth) in order to achieve a goal—flight.

**"Goals" as subject of study**

For a while I did a lot of reviewing papers in the "design science" domain in my academic field. Somewhere in all of that material (I can't remember the author) I came across a categorization of the sciences that used the relationship between the science and *human purpose*:

* The *physical sciences* such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, pay no attention to human goals.
* The *social sciences* such as psychology, sociology, economics, study human motivations as natural phenomena, but are indifferent to them.
* The *design sciences* or *sciences of the artificial* such as architecture, engineering, medicine, business, allow researchers to take sides, to work on important human goals. They study *problems* as perceived by humans, and they study *solutions*, both using scientific methods.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That's a very interesting piece of information. Many thanks @username_4  

---

### Answer by username_0 on 2020-06-04. Score: 2

Very nice explanation from @Buffy, on the Computer Science Educators SE.

[In what branch of science does technology belong?](https://cseducators.stackexchange.com/questions/6368/in-what-branch-of-science-does-technology-belongs/6369#6369)


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-06-19. Score: 1

In answer to the original question, finding a "category" for

> 1. Data Analytics and Machine Learning
> 2. Computer Science and Physics
> 3. Computer Science and Mathematics

in the same vein as the "networks" and "computing" categories, I might call 2 & 3 (and possibly 1) *Applied Computing* since they aren't about a CS topic but rather about applying CS topics to the benefit of other fields.


---

