The last thing that I never at thought about (neither heard about), was the transdisciplinary nature of Computer Science. A transdisciplinary approach is not just a set of different subjects cooperating. It consists of unifying different knowledge to create a unique and holistic one. In its essence it creates a new comprehension of reality. Rocha Filho (2007) places transdisciplinarity as being open to the other to get knowledge. I was thinking for example, that the Phd student that presented the game on the lecture would unite his efforts with Psychologists and other specialists in education and cognitive skills to create a whole new perspective.
The last curious fact about the transdisciplinarity is mentioned by Prof Donald Knuth in one of his interviews. He believes that in every 15 persons we can find a potential Computer Scientist. And we need to find them in different fields other than in Computer Science. Computer Science is seen by Don as being based on algorithms. Algorithms are but a set of rules or steps that produce expected outputs or results. And if any person has the ability to produce such algorithms, he/she is, in Don’s opinion, a Computer Scientist (e.g. Dijkstra barely touched a computer but considered himself a programmer). With this in mind, I look forward to adventure into a joint research with other Computer Scientists out there in different fields, whether Philosophy or History or anything else.
Sources
Rocha Filho, J. B (2007). Transdisciplinaridade: A Natureza Íntima da Educação Científica. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS.