ABSTRACT
The author describes the program verification debate within a more general perspective on the methodologies and goals of computer science. They begin by opposing the 'mathematical paradigm' for computer science with a view of computer science as a nonformal endeavor. This view is exemplified by the curricula and attitudes of many current academic computer science departments, in which computer science is put forth as the science of problem solving using computers, and not as 'mere computer programming'. Author's treatment of computer science methodology has glossed over the use of algorithms in problem solving, but in practice they play an important role in the process of designing programs. The method of 'doing' computer science as experimental science is exemplified in many applications involving modeling and simulation. The amount of importance attached to the correctness of computer programs, can reach enormous levels, in matters of medicine, financial transactions, and national security.
