This guide provides a survey of the themes, problems, arguments and theories constituting the field of the philosophy of computing and information. It presents an introduction to a wide range of topics, including computer ethics, Internet culture, digital art, cybernetics and hypertext theory.

Notes on Contributors. Preface. Part I: Four Concepts:. 1. B. Jack Copeland, Computation. 2. Alasdair Urquhart, Complexity. 3. Klaus Mainzer, System: An Introduction to Systems Science. 4. Luciano Floridi, Information. Part II: Computers in Society:. 5. Deborah G Johnson, Computer Ethics. 6. Charles Ess, Computer-mediated Communication and Human–Computer Interaction. 7. Wesley Cooper, Internet Culture. 8. Dominic McIver Lopes, Digital Art. Part III: Mind and AI:. 9. James H.Fetzer, The Philosophy of AI and its Critique. 10. Brian P. McLaughlin, Computationalism, Connectionism and the Philosophy of Mind. Part IV: Real and Virtual Worlds:. 11. Barry Smith, Ontology. 12. Derek Stanovsky, Virtual Reality. 13. Eric Steinhart, The Physics of Information. 14. Roberto Cordeschi, Cybernetics. 15. Mark A. Bedau, Artificial Life. Part V: Language and Knowledge:. 16.Jonathan Cohen, Information and Content. 17. Fred Adams, Knowledge. 18. Graham White, The Philosophy of Computer Languages. 19. Thierry Bardini, Hypertext. Part VI: Logic and Probability:. 20. G. Aldo Antonelli, Logic. 21. Donald Gillies, Probability in Artificial Intelligence. 22. Cristina Bicchieri, Game Theory: Nash Equilibrium. Part VII: Science and Technology:. 23. Paul Thagard, Computing in the Philosophy of Science. 24. Timothy Colburn, Methodology of Computer Science. 25. Carl Mitcham, Philosophy of Information Technology. 26. Patrick Grim, Computational Modeling as a Philosophical Methodology. Index.

This Guideprovides an ambitious, state-of-the-art survey of the themes, problems, arguments, and theories constituting the innovative field of the philosophy of computing and information. Written by an international group of leading experts, the 26 newly commissioned chapters present a complete, systematic, and critical introduction to a wide range of topics, including computer ethics, internet culture, digital art, cybernetics, and hypertext theory. Combining careful scholarship and lucid exposition, each chapter serves as a self-standing introduction to its topic. Supporting online resources – including an exhaustive glossary of technical terms, expanded further reading sections, and a wide-ranging introduction explaining the nature of the new informational paradigm in philosophy – can be found at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/pci The Guide offers students a first foundation for understanding the philosophy of computing and information. It will also engage those general readers who are curious about the new computational and informational turn in philosophy, and researchers interested in broadening their experience.

"The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Computing and Information is a rich resource for an important, emerging field within philosophy. This excellent volume covers the basic topics in depth, yet is written in a style that is accessible to non-philosophers. There is no other book that assembles and explains systematically so much information about the diverse aspects of philosophy of computing and information. I believe this book will serve both as an authoritative introduction to the field for students and as a standard reference for professionals for years to come. I highly recommend it." James Moor, Dartmouth College "There are contributions from a range of respected academics, many of them authorities in their field, and this certainly anchors the work in a sound scholarly foundation. The scope of the content, given the youthfulness of the computing era, is signigficant. The variety of the content too is remarkable. In summary this is a wonderfully fresh look at the world of of computing and information, which requires its own philosophy in testimony that there are some real issues that can exercise the mind." Reference Reviews "The judicious choice of topics, as well as the degree of detail in the various chapters, are just what it takes neither to deter the average reader requiring this Guide, nor to makeit unfeasible placing this volume in the hands of students. Floridi's book is clearly a valuable addition to a worthy series." Pragmatics & Cognition

Notes on Contributors. Preface: Luciano Floridi. *Introduction: What is the Philosophy of Computing and Information? Luciano Floridi. Part I: Four Concepts. Part II: Computers in Society. Part III: Mind and AI. Part IV: Real and Virtual Worlds. Part V: Language and Knowledge. Part VI: Logic and Probability. Part VII: Science and Technology. *Glossary of Technical Terms. *Bibliography. Index. *signifies additional material available at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/pci