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When ‘Pure Mathematical Objectivity’ is no Longer Enough

Authors:
Isabel Cafezeiro
Ivan Marques

Keywords: formal specification; collaborative development; objectivity; sociology of mathematic

Abstract:
By focusing on systems that can be trusted to operate as required, software validation offers a rich field to study how far one can go with the support of mathematical certainty, that is, to identify when evidence (a non formal entity) must come into play to dismiss the possibility of critical errors. First, this article highlights that the view of mathematics as a source of accuracy supported by a purified and rational chaining of reasoning persists until the present days. Resorting to historical controversies of the 1970's regarding software validation, it is possible to indicate local (social) elements that necessarily participate in what is usually considered 'technical' or 'objective', showing therefore that there is no way to establish rigid or fixed boundaries delimiting what is considered 'exact'. Regarding software correctness, the sociotechnical approach adopted in this paper leads to a intertwined frame where social (collaborative) mechanisms act in ways that are inseparable from those mechanisms that are considered 'technical' or 'objective', which are, in this case, formal methods. This paper discusses software validation in the light of Sociology of Mathematics and Social Studies of Science and Technology.

Pages: 63 to 67

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2012

Publication date: November 18, 2012

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4316

ISBN: 978-1-61208-233-2

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Dates: from November 18, 2012 to November 23, 2012