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Preliminary Examination in Computer Science and Philosophy

A

  • 1. The subjects of the examination shall be (a) Computer Science and (b) Philosophy.

  • 2. All candidates must offer both (a) and (b).

  • 3. The Examinations shall be under the joint supervision of the Divisional Board of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and the Board of the Faculty of Philosophy, which shall appoint a joint supervisory committee to make regulations concerning them, subject always to the preceding clauses of this subsection.

B

  • 1. The Preliminary Examination in Computer Science and Philosophy shall comprise five compulsory written papers plus compulsory Computer Science practicals equivalent to one written paper:

    • CS1 Functional Programming and Design and Analysis of Algorithms

    • CS2 Imperative Programming and Introduction to Proof Systems 

    • CSP3 Discrete Mathematics and Probability

    • P1 Introduction to Philosophy

    • P2 Philosophical Topics in Logic and Probability

    • Computer Science Practicals

  • 2. The syllabus for papers CS1, CS2, and CSP3 will be published by the Joint Supervisory Committee in a handbook for candidates by the beginning of the Michaelmas Full Term in the academic year of the examination, after consultation with the Faculty of Mathematics (for paper CSP3). The syllabus for paper P1 will be as stated below. The syllabus for paper P2 will be as stated for the Philosophical Topics in Logic and Probability paper in the regulations for the Preliminary Examination in Mathematics and Philosophy.

  • 3. Papers CS1, CS2, and CSP3 will contain questions of a straightforward character.

  • 4. All candidates will be assessed as to their practical ability in Computer Science under the following provisions:

    • (a) The Head of the Department of Computer Science, or a deputy, shall make available to the examiners evidence showing the extent to which each candidate has pursued an adequate course of practical work. Only that work completed and marked by the submission date given in the Course Handbook shall be included in these records.

    • (b) Candidates shall submit their reports of practical exercises completed during their course of study, as described by their Course Handbook, by the date given in the Course Handbook.

    • (c) The examiners shall take the evidence (a) and the reports (b) into account in assessing a candidate's performance.

    • (d) Candidates whose overall performance on practical work is not satisfactory may be deemed to have failed the examination.

  • 5. Candidates shall be deemed to have passed the examination if they have satisfied the examiners in all six papers in clause 1 either at a single examination or at two examinations in accordance with clause 7 or clause 8.

  • 6. The examiners may award a distinction to candidates of special merit who have satisfied them in all six papers in clause 1 in one examination.

  • 7. A candidate who fails to satisfy the Moderators in one or two papers may offer the papers failed on one subsequent occasion. A candidate who fails to satisfy the Moderators in three or more papers may offer all five papers on one subsequent occasion, except that a candidate who fails to satisfy the Moderators in all of papers CS1, CS2 and CS3, but who has satisfied the Moderators in papers P1 and P2, may offer papers CS1, CS2 and CS3 only on one subsequent occasion.

  • 8. The use of calculators is generally not permitted but certain kinds may be allowed for certain papers. Specifications of which papers and which types of calculators are permitted for those exceptional papers will be announced by the examiners in the Hilary Term preceding the examination.

Paper P1, Introduction to Philosophy

The paper shall consist of two parts:

  • A. General Philosophy as stated in the regulations for the Preliminary Examination in Mathematics and Philosophy.

  • B. Turing: Computability and Intelligence This section shall be studied in connection with Alan Turing's papers 'On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem' (reprinted and explained in Charles Petzold's The Annotated Turing, Wiley, 2008) and 'Computing Machinery and Intelligence' (Mind, 1950). While not being confined to Turing's views, these questions will be satisfactorily answerable by a candidate who has made a critical study of the texts. There will not be a compulsory question containing passages for comment.

Candidates will be required to attempt four questions, including at least one question from Part A and at least one question from Part B.