[OT] Is the D(n) PL discovery or invention?

[bearophile]

Justin Johansson:
> This question is a play on the eternal question
> "is mathematics discovery or invention?"

I have seen nothing useful or interesting come out of this discussion, so this topic has lost most of the interest for me.


> In the context of the D PL, where does D(version n) lie in the continuum
> between discovery and invention.

Often the less axioms and building blocks are necessary to design your language, the more it seems discovered. So something like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SKI_combinator_calculus
or even the core of Lisp look more like discoveries to me.
While D2 is mostly a large aggregate of historical accidents, so I put it quite more toward the engineering side of the line :-)

Bye,
bearophile