Towards a Semiotics of Object- and Aspect-Oriented Design

Author(s). James Noble, Robert Biddle, Ewan Tempero and David J. Pearce.

Venue. In European Conference on Computing and Philosophy (ECAP), 2006.

Abstract: Object-oriented design is based on the argument that objects in a program act as a simulation of objects in the real world. This paper will provide a semiotic account of object-oriented design patterns, treating an object as a sign comprised of some part of the real world, its realisation in the program, and the programmers intent about the program design (that the object model the world). The paper will then go on to discuss the developing discipline of aspect- orientation affects the representational discourses of object-orientation. Considering the semiotics of object-oriented design can address these quetsions, both helping programmers design their programs, understand the way their designs “work”, and informing the general philosophy of computer science.