I Walk the Open Road: Toward an Open Source Philosophy

This paper addresses the concept of "Open Source" in a philosophical way. It argues that open source is a virtual entity with ontological significance beyond the realm of the software movement that granted its naming. The paper includes an examination of the technical language surrounding open source software, progresses through a philosophical exploration of this language removed from the specificity of computer languages and technologies, and then returns to an analysis of The Open Source Definition in the light of the philosophical investigation.