Latest news with #OnComputableNumbers
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Alan Turing Birth Anniversary: Father of modern computing who cracked the Nazi code and developed the ultimate humans vs. machine test
On June 23, we commemorate the birth of Alan Mathison Turing, a visionary whose profound contributions laid the very groundwork for modern computing and artificial intelligence. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Often hailed as the " Father of modern computing ," Turing's intellectual curiosity transcended conventional boundaries, leading to the theoretical concept of the Turing machine—a foundational idea for every digital device we use today. Beyond his academic prowess, his clandestine work during at Bletchley Park, where he played a pivotal role in cracking the German Enigma code, is credited with significantly shortening the war and saving countless lives. His multifaceted genius, however, was tragically overshadowed by societal prejudice, leading to his posthumous recognition as both a brilliant scientist and a martyr. His enduring legacy continues to shape our technological landscape, particularly through his pioneering concept of the "Imitation Game," which revolutionized the way we think about machine intelligence. Alan Turing: The prodigy from Paddington and a mind ahead of its time Born in Paddington, London, on June 23, 1912, Alan Turing displayed an extraordinary intellect from a young age. While his peers focused on conventional academic pursuits, Turing was already delving into complex mathematical problems with a singular focus. His early education at Sherborne School hinted at his unconventional brilliance; a notable anecdote recounts his remarkable 60-mile bicycle ride during a transport strike just to ensure he arrived at school on time. This dedication underscored a mind that preferred to forge its own path, often challenging established norms. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Even in his formative years, Turing demonstrated an almost alarming disregard for societal expectations, choosing to redefine boundaries rather than merely adhering to them. The architect of thinking machines: Inventing the future before its time In 1936, at just 24 years old, Turing published his seminal paper, "On Computable Numbers , with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem(decision problem)." In it, he introduced the concept of the Turing machine, a hypothetical device capable of performing any logical calculation. This abstract model was revolutionary, laying the theoretical groundwork for what we now understand as the modern computer. Essentially, Turing envisioned the fundamental principles of computing before the actual hardware existed. While the world was grappling with economic depression and the looming threat of war, Turing was quietly formulating the mathematical logic that would eventually underpin every smartphone, every digital transaction, and every AI algorithm that defines our contemporary world. His insights were so far ahead of their time, it was akin to discovering fire while others were still figuring out how to make tools. The Bletchley Park Sorcerer: Cracking the unbreakable code Turing's genius was not confined to theoretical musings. In 1939, as World War II escalated, he joined the top-secret codebreaking efforts at Bletchley Park. Here, he became instrumental in breaking the German military's Enigma code, a highly complex cipher device believed by the Nazis to be unbreakable. Turing, along with his team, developed the Bombe, an electromechanical machine that drastically sped up the process of deciphering Enigma messages. This critical intelligence significantly aided Allied forces, with historians estimating that Turing's contributions shortened the war by at least two years and saved millions of lives. Despite this monumental achievement, his unparalleled service to his country went largely unrecognized and uncelebrated for decades due to the secrecy surrounding his work and the subsequent persecution he faced. The Imitation Game: The ultimate human vs. machine test In his pivotal 1950 paper, "Computing Machinery and Intelligence," Turing posed the provocative question: "Can machines think?" To address this, he proposed what is now known as the Turing test, or the "Imitation game." This test involves a human interrogator communicating with both a human and a machine via text-based conversation. If the interrogator cannot reliably distinguish between the human and the machine based solely on their responses, then the machine is considered to have passed the test, demonstrating a form of intelligent behavior indistinguishable from a human. This concept provided a concrete, albeit debated, criterion for evaluating artificial intelligence and remains a cornerstone of AI research and philosophical discussions about consciousness and intelligence. A tragic persecution Despite his extraordinary contributions, Alan Turing's life took a tragic turn due to societal prejudices. In 1952, he was prosecuted for "gross indecency" because of his homosexuality, which was then a criminal offense in Britain. Given the choice between imprisonment and chemical castration, Turing chose the latter, a treatment that severely impacted his physical and mental health. This brutal injustice effectively destroyed him, culminating in his death in 1954, officially ruled a suicide by cyanide poisoning. The poignant detail of a half-eaten apple found by his side led to speculation of a deliberate, poetic nod to his favorite fairy tale, Snow White, hinting at a final, elegant act of defiance against the injustice he suffered. His persecution stands as a stark reminder of the state-sanctioned cruelty endured by countless individuals for their identity. A long-overdue apology and enduring legacy It took over half a century for Britain to formally acknowledge the immense injustice done to Turing. In 2009, then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued an official apology, followed by a posthumous royal pardon from Queen Elizabeth II in 2013. While these gestures were significant, they could not undo the profound harm inflicted upon him. Today, Turing's image graces the British £50 note, a symbolic gesture reflecting a national reckoning with his tragic story. His legacy extends far beyond mathematics and codebreaking; he fundamentally shaped the digital world. Every time an AI makes a breakthrough, from sophisticated algorithms to chatbots, it echoes Turing's foundational work. His life serves as both a testament to human genius and a powerful warning about the dangers of prejudice. Alan Turing, the man who enabled machines to think, continues to inspire and challenge us to consider the profound implications of intelligence, both human and artificial.
Daily Mirror
18-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
Codebreaker's WW2 papers sell for ‘record' £465K after almost being shredded
Papers belonging to mathematician Alan Turing - who created machines that helped to crack Adolf Hitler's enigma code - have been sold for a record breaking £465,000 at auction Papers belonging to World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing have sold for a record-breaking £465,400 at auction. The mathematician's paper archive - which narrowly escaped being shredded - include a signed version of what is widely known as the first computer programming guide, a personal copy of his 1939 PhD dissertation. Turing's mother Ethel originally gifted the archive to his pal, mathematician Norman Routledge - who kept them until his death. After he passed away the papers, which included letters from Passage to India author, EM Forster, were taken to the loft of a relative in Bermondsey, south London. Previously, one of the author's nieces said: 'When (Routledge) died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives.' Initially, auctioneers believed the lots would only earn a top price of £60,000 . However, auctioneers at Hansons said one part of the dissertation, On Computable Numbers, sold for £208,000 alone. Meanwhile, Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals added another £110,500. Bids came from people on the phone, online and in person when the lot started at Rare Book Auctions, part of Hansons, in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Turing's first published paper, which comprises of a single sheet, sold for £7,800. It was also gifted to Routledge, and includes a handwritten letter from Turing's mother dated May 16, 1956. The letter, which was attached to the Equivalence of Left And Right Almost Periodcity, reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints … I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan … I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, said: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I found in that carrier bag. 'These plain, academic papers were absolutely electrifying – they are the very bedrock of modern computing. Handling them was both humbling and haunting. 'Knowing the tragic arc of Turing's life only adds to the emotional weight. He was treated appallingly despite all he had done and yet, here, his ideas remain alive, relevant, and revolutionary.' Mr Spencer added: 'This was the most important archive I've ever handled. The papers came within inches of being destroyed, and instead they've captured the world 's imagination. 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime discovery – not just for collectors, but for the sake of preserving the story of one of the greatest minds in history.'
Euronews
18-06-2025
- Science
- Euronews
Rare papers of World War II hero Alan Turing sell for record price
A collection of rare scientific papers written by mathematician, computer scientist and Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing has sold for a record £465,400 (€544,400) at auction in Lichfield, UK. The documents were discovered in a loft at a property in Bermondsey, London, and were almost destroyed during a house clearance. Some of the rare items that went under the hammer included a personal signed copy of Turing's 1938 PhD dissertation, "Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals", which sold for £110,500 (€129,200), as well as his paper "On Computable Numbers" - also known as "Turing's Proof" - which introduced the world to the idea of a universal computing machine in 1936. The collection also included "The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis", which sold for £19,500 (€22,800). Dating from 1952, it is Turing's last major published work. The treasure trove of Turing material had originally been gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician, Norman Routledge, by Turing's mother, Ethel. Routledge kept the papers and, on his death, they were taken to his sister's loft. Hansons Auctioneers had estimated the lots would sell for £40,000 to £60,000 each, but "On Computable Numbers" alone sold for £208,000 (€243,000). Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, said of the papers, which were brought to experts in a carrier bag: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I found in that carrier bag. These plain, academic papers were absolutely electrifying – they are the very bedrock of modern computing. Handling them was both humbling and haunting.' He continued: 'Knowing the tragic arc of Turing's life only adds to the emotional weight. He was treated appallingly despite all he had done and yet, here, his ideas remain alive, relevant, and revolutionary.' Spencer added: 'This was the most important archive I've ever handled. The papers came within inches of being destroyed, and instead they've captured the world's imagination. It's a once-in-a-lifetime discovery – not just for collectors, but for the sake of preserving the story of one of the greatest minds in history.' Turing is widely regarded as the father of computing science and played a central role in breaking the Enigma code, used by the Nazis during the Second World War. After the war, he was convicted of being involved in homosexual acts and accepted a procedure commonly referred to as chemical castration as an alternative to prison. Truing took his own life on 7 June 1954, aged 41. Following a campaign in 2009, British prime minister Gordon Brown made an official public apology for the 'appalling way' Turing was treated after the war. Queen Elizabeth II granted a pardon in 2013. The "Alan Turing law' is a term used informally to refer to a 2017 law in the UK that retroactively pardoned men convicted under historical legislation that outlawed homosexual acts.
North Wales Chronicle
17-06-2025
- Science
- North Wales Chronicle
Codebreaker Alan Turing's scientific papers sell for ‘record' £465,000
The archive of papers belonging to the mathematician, including a signed personal copy of his 1939 PhD dissertation, Systems Of Logic Based On Ordinals and On Computable Numbers from 1937, described as the first programming manual of the computer age, were sold on Tuesday, Hansons Auctioneers said. The archive, which sold for what is thought to be a record sum for such Turing material, had originally been gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician, Norman Routledge, by Turing's mother, Ethel. The papers, known as 'offprints', were produced in small numbers and distributed within academia, making them rare survivors. Routledge kept the papers, which also included letters from the novelist EM Forster, and on his death they were taken to a relative's loft after his home in Bermondsey, London, was cleared out. One of Routledge's nieces previously said: 'When (Routledge) died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives.' Auctioneers had estimated the lots would sell for £40,000 to £60,000 each, but On Computable Numbers alone sold for £208,000, Hansons said. Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals sold for another £110,500, with bidders on phones, online and in person at Rare Book Auctions, part of Hansons, in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The collection also included The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis, which sold for £19,500. Dating from 1952, it is Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology and his last major published work. Meanwhile, a single piece of paper which was Turing's first published paper in 1935, called Equivalence Of Left And Right Almost Periodicity, sold for £7,800. It was also gifted to Routledge by Turing's mother and her handwritten letter dated May 16 1956 was included. The letter reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints … I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan … I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, said of the papers, which were brought to experts in a carrier bag: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I found in that carrier bag. 'These plain, academic papers were absolutely electrifying – they are the very bedrock of modern computing. Handling them was both humbling and haunting. 'Knowing the tragic arc of Turing's life only adds to the emotional weight. He was treated appallingly despite all he had done and yet, here, his ideas remain alive, relevant, and revolutionary.' Mr Spencer added: 'This was the most important archive I've ever handled. The papers came within inches of being destroyed, and instead they've captured the world's imagination. 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime discovery – not just for collectors, but for the sake of preserving the story of one of the greatest minds in history.' Turing, who is widely regarded as the father of computing science, played a central role in breaking the Enigma code, used by the Nazis during the Second World War. After the war, he was convicted of being involved in homosexual acts and took his own life in 1954, aged 41.
Powys County Times
17-06-2025
- Science
- Powys County Times
Codebreaker Alan Turing's scientific papers sell for ‘record' £465,000
Scientific papers belonging to the Second World War codebreaker and computing pioneer Alan Turing which were nearly shredded after being discovered in a loft have sold for a total of £465,400 at auction. The archive of papers belonging to the mathematician, including a signed personal copy of his 1939 PhD dissertation, Systems Of Logic Based On Ordinals and On Computable Numbers from 1937, described as the first programming manual of the computer age, were sold on Tuesday, Hansons Auctioneers said. The archive, which sold for what is thought to be a record sum for such Turing material, had originally been gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician, Norman Routledge, by Turing's mother, Ethel. The papers, known as 'offprints', were produced in small numbers and distributed within academia, making them rare survivors. Routledge kept the papers, which also included letters from the novelist EM Forster, and on his death they were taken to a relative's loft after his home in Bermondsey, London, was cleared out. One of Routledge's nieces previously said: 'When (Routledge) died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives.' Auctioneers had estimated the lots would sell for £40,000 to £60,000 each, but On Computable Numbers alone sold for £208,000, Hansons said. Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals sold for another £110,500, with bidders on phones, online and in person at Rare Book Auctions, part of Hansons, in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The collection also included The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis, which sold for £19,500. Dating from 1952, it is Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology and his last major published work. Meanwhile, a single piece of paper which was Turing's first published paper in 1935, called Equivalence Of Left And Right Almost Periodicity, sold for £7,800. It was also gifted to Routledge by Turing's mother and her handwritten letter dated May 16 1956 was included. The letter reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints … I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan … I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, said of the papers, which were brought to experts in a carrier bag: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I found in that carrier bag. 'These plain, academic papers were absolutely electrifying – they are the very bedrock of modern computing. Handling them was both humbling and haunting. 'Knowing the tragic arc of Turing's life only adds to the emotional weight. He was treated appallingly despite all he had done and yet, here, his ideas remain alive, relevant, and revolutionary.' Mr Spencer added: 'This was the most important archive I've ever handled. The papers came within inches of being destroyed, and instead they've captured the world's imagination. 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime discovery – not just for collectors, but for the sake of preserving the story of one of the greatest minds in history.' Turing, who is widely regarded as the father of computing science, played a central role in breaking the Enigma code, used by the Nazis during the Second World War.
