Fall 2008

Programming Language Paradigms

Listed in: Computer Science, as COSC-23

Faculty

John E. Rager (Section 01)

Description

The main purpose of a programming language is to provide a natural way to express algorithms and computational structures. The meaning of “natural” here is controversial and has produced several distinct language paradigms; furthermore the languages themselves have shaped our understanding of the nature of computation and of human thought processes. We will explore some of these paradigms and discuss the major ideas underlying language design. Several languages will be introduced to illustrate ideas developed in the course. Topics will include functional programming, declarative programming, and programming for concurrency and distributed computing. Offered in alternate years. Requisite: Computer Science 12. Fall semester. Professor Rager.