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  • Essay / The role of experimentation in computing

    Computer science is constantly evolving. New principles are discovered; older principles are no longer used. Experiments play an essential role in science. However, the role of computer science experiments still remains unclear. Until the 1980s, questions about the relevance of computer science experiments received little attention. Among computer science researchers, there is broad support for the idea that computer science is an empirical or experimental science. Empirical science is used to refer to research that relies on observation-based data collection, while experimental science refers to a specific type of research, where experiments are conducted under artificially produced and deliberately controlled repeatable conditions . The role of experimentation in computing became popular when Feldman and Sutherland published their report titled "Rejuvenating Experimental Computer Science." “In my opinion, experimental science is crucial in science and it should be used more often. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay To begin with, W. Tichy mentions that experimentation is very important because it can accelerate progress by eliminating unsuccessful approaches while leading engineering and theory towards promising perspectives. instructions. Additionally, with careful experimentation and analysis, the possibility of a theory being falsified diminishes. As Albert Einstein said: “No experiment can ever prove me right; a single experience can prove me otherwise.” Additionally, tests and observations can lead to new and unknown areas of science. Here's an example of how experimenting with one thing led to the discovery of another area of ​​research. On the other hand, many researchers believe that experimentation is unnecessary or impractical. The first line of defense against experimentation is that it is too expensive and finding the funding, gathering the data needed for the experiments and conducting them would take a lot of time and money. Thus, scientific progress will be significantly reduced. While this is true in some cases, testing is unavoidable. In software engineering, for example, when a product is released to the market, it must be tested to verify its expected behavior, as described in the software specification. Otherwise, the product will not be reliable and will not be used. Another argument against experimentation states that experimentation can be successfully replaced by demonstrations discussed by Juris Hartmanis in his Turing Prize lecture in 1994. I strongly disagree with this opinion. A demonstration aims to prove the feasibility of a method and to verify its practical potential. However, it cannot test all case studies rather than encouraging continued experimentation. In order to test all scenarios, careful analysis including experimental data and replication is necessary. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The experimental emphasis of many disciplines suggests the importance of experimentation as a fundamental research tool. It is obvious that experimentation has not yet penetrated computer science to the extent that it has penetrated other scientific fields. The empirical finding that there is less experimentation in computer science than in other sciences suggests an important question: what level of experimentation is appropriate in..