Algorithmic pragmatism: First steps

Abstract

Algorithmic interventions (the intricate, dynamic arrangements of people and code deployed to address everyday life problems) benefit society. However, they are also responsible for many complex social, economic, and political harms. Unfortunately, there is an epistemological gap in computer science. Computer science lacks the language, the knowledge, and the methods for dealing with how to make algorithms’ stakeholders responsible, accountable, and liable for their outcomes’ effects, impacts, and consequences. Our research focuses on seizing pragmatism philosophy and linguistic pragmatics to reform computer science epistemology, expanding SDLC (system development life cycle framework) based on clinical pragmatics. We support reform to SDLC to help diminish algorithmic interventions’ adverse effects by design or, at least, to assign stakeholders’ duties for every algorithmic intervention in society. The algorithmic pragmatism conceptual framework presented could be taught in schools and universities and be used to public regulate and judge algorithmic interventions. Overall, we aim to design means of thinking about computer systems and algorithms to fill the computer science epistemology gap related to the impacts and consequences of algorithmic interventions.