諾貝爾獎主是電腦科學家？電腦科學是科學嗎？甚至是基礎科學嗎？
2024年10月的有兩個重大新聞引發人們對電腦科學的重新思考。週二 AI 教父 Geoffrey Hinton 以及分子生物學教授 John Hopfield 因為對機器學習的開創性貢獻，共得榮獲了今年的諾貝爾物理學獎。他們因為借用了物理學概念，發明人工神經網絡，直接促進人工智慧領域的發展。Jump to English version.
緊接著，週三 Google DeepMind 的 Demis Hassabis 和 John Jumper 以及華盛頓大學的 David Baker 也一同獲得了諾貝化學獎。DeepMind 的 AlphaFold 2 成功破解生物界十多年來的難題 — — 蛋白質結構；David Baker 則建立了 RoseTTAFold，不僅能預測蛋白質結構，還能設計全新的蛋白質。
重新回顧電腦科學
這兩個獎項展現其他學科奠基於電腦科學之上產生重大突破，讓我們開始思考：電腦科學是否只是一種技術應用？還是它是一門探索自然規律的基礎科學？
早在 2005 年，著名電腦科學 Peter J. Denning 在 〈ACM 通訊〉上發表過一篇〈電腦科學是科學嗎？〉，探討過這個問題。
電腦科學的科學身份
Denning 指出電腦科學和傳統科學一樣，使用科學方法。這門學科透過提出假設，實驗、驗證結果，來建立理論解釋現象，這是作為科學的普遍樣式。
反對者認為電腦科學因為研究對象是人造之物，所以不算是科學。但 Denning 相反地指出電腦科學同時研究不只是人工的資訊處理過程，還包含與自然界的資訊處理過程。例如，在生物資訊學中，研究者將 DNA 解釋為編碼的生物資訊，並探討如何進行資訊的讀取、解碼、作用；而物理學家用量子計算模擬，來驗證量子糾纏等現象。
電腦科學的獨特地位
電腦科學似乎具備基礎科學與應用科學的特性，它關注於發現和理解自然界的基本原理和現象，又致力於解決實際問題。這種雙重身份使電腦科學在學術界中具有獨特地位。
今年諾貝爾獎凸顯了電腦科學在物理學與化學的關鍵作用，提醒我們重新思考電腦科學的本質：它不僅是一門科學，搞不好是一門基礎科學——也許有一天！
參考文獻
- Peter J. Denning Wikipedia
- Is Computer Science Science? ACM Digital Library
Are Nobel Prize Winners Computer Scientists? Is Computer Science a Science? Is it Even a Fundamental Science?
Two significant news events in October 2024 have prompted a reevaluation of computer science. On Tuesday, AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton and molecular biology professor John Hopfield were jointly awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking contributions to machine learning. They utilized concepts from physics to invent artificial neural networks, directly advancing the field of artificial intelligence.
Following that, on Wednesday, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper from Google DeepMind, along with David Baker from the University of Washington, also received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. DeepMind’s AlphaFold 2 successfully solved a long-standing challenge in biology: the prediction of protein structures; David Baker developed RoseTTAFold, which not only predicts protein structures but also designs entirely new proteins.
Revisiting Computer Science
These two awards highlight significant breakthroughs in other disciplines built upon computer science, leading us to ponder: Is computer science merely a technical application? Or is it a fundamental science that explores the laws of nature?
As early as 2005, renowned computer scientist Peter J. Denning published an article titled “Is Computer Science Science?” in Communications of the ACM, discussing this question.
The Scientific Identity of Computer Science
Denning pointed out that, like traditional sciences, computer science employs the scientific method. This discipline establishes theoretical explanations for phenomena by proposing hypotheses, conducting experiments, and validating results, which is a common practice in science.
Critics argue that because computer science studies artificial entities, it does not qualify as a science. However, Denning countered that computer science examines not only artificial information processing but also processes in the natural world. For example, in bioinformatics, researchers interpret DNA as encoded biological information and investigate how to read, decode, and utilize that information. Physicists use quantum computing simulations to validate phenomena like quantum entanglement.
The Unique Status of Computer Science
Computer science appears to embody characteristics of both fundamental and applied sciences, focusing on discovering and understanding the fundamental principles and phenomena of nature while also addressing practical problems. This dual identity grants computer science a unique position in academia.
This year’s Nobel Prizes underscore the pivotal role of computer science in physics and chemistry, reminding us to rethink the essence of computer science: it is not only a science; it may even be a fundamental science — perhaps one day!
References
- Peter J. Denning Wikipedia
- Is Computer Science Science? ACM Digital Library
