Is Computer Science science, applied mathematics, engineering, art, philosophy? Other?To provide background, here is Steven Wartik's blog posting for Scientific American titled I'm not a real scientist, and that's okay. The article covers some good topics for this question, but it leaves open more than it answers.If you can think of the discipline, how would computer science fit into its definition? Should the discipline for Computer Science be based on what programmers do, or what academics do? What kind of answers do you get from people who've seemed to think deeply about this? What reasons do they give?
What discipline does Computer Science belong to?
computer science;philosophy
There are two distinct IT disciplines:Computer Science - is the discipline study of computers and computation using the scientific method.Software Engineering - is the discipline of designing and implementing software following proper engineering principles.The two overlap somewhat, but the distinction is really about desired outcomes of science versus engineering.  The desired outcome of a scientific discipline is knowledge.  The desired outcome of a engineering discipline is things that work.So to answer your question:Is Computer Science science, applied mathematics, engineering, art, philosophy? Other?Computer Science is Science ... when done properly.  However, like other disciplines CS has overlaps with Mathematics, Engineering, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Philosophy and so on.I would also add that what most programmers do is neither Computer Science or Software Engineering.  It is more like what a craftsman does.And sad to say, neither academic Computer Science or the Software Engineering profession are as rigorous as older science and engineering disciplines.  (There are fields of Computer Science that are traditionally rigorous; for example, the ones with a strong mathematical basis.  But for many fields, it is simply too hard / expensive to do proper scientific studies on the questions that really matter.)