Dawkins on Turing
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From: Frederick Williams on 29 May 2010 08:22 In Radio Times for 29 May to 4 June, Richard Dawkins is quoted: If anyone could be said to have invented the future it was Alan Turing. He created a wartime code-breaking machine that was the basis for all computer technology. By imagining a machine that could solve all conceivable mathematical problems, Turing had invented the concept of the programmable computer years before anybody could see how to build one. The full power of his revolutionary ideas would not be appreciated for years, even decades. The pity is, he didn't live to see it. I would welcome comments on He created a wartime code-breaking machine... and ... imagining a machine that could solve all conceivable mathematical problems... especially. -- I can't go on, I'll go on.
From: Aatu Koskensilta on 29 May 2010 08:31 Frederick Williams <frederick.williams2(a)tesco.net> writes: > I would welcome comments on > > He created a wartime code-breaking machine... > > and > > ... imagining a machine that could solve all conceivable > mathematical problems... > > especially. The first claim is reasonably accurate, provided we understand "created" as "devised" and disregard Welchman's contributions, the second is simply false, a confused reference to the universal Turing machine. -- Aatu Koskensilta (aatu.koskensilta(a)uta.fi) "Wovon man nicht sprechan kann, dar�ber muss man schweigen" - Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
From: Charlie-Boo on 29 May 2010 22:55 On May 29, 8:22 am, Frederick Williams <frederick.willia...(a)tesco.net> wrote: > In Radio Times for 29 May to 4 June, Richard Dawkins is quoted: > > If anyone could be said to have invented the future it was > Alan Turing. He created a wartime code-breaking machine that > was the basis for all computer technology. the basis for => a model for -or- equivalent to but he was not the first. Godel and earlier have their own enumerations of the r.e. sets. > By imagining a > machine that could solve all conceivable mathematical problems, conceivable => solvable solvable: The problem of deciding P where P is recursive or is r.e. if you wish. > Turing had invented the concept of the programmable computer > years before anybody could see how to build one. As did others. He only proved there to be a UTM and the Halting Set to be not recursive. C-B > The full power of his revolutionary ideas would not be > appreciated for years, even decades. The pity is, he didn't > live to see it. > > I would welcome comments on > > He created a wartime code-breaking machine... > > and > > ... imagining a machine that could solve all conceivable > mathematical problems... > > especially. > > -- > I can't go on, I'll go on.
From: Frederick Williams on 30 May 2010 07:07 Charlie-Boo wrote: > > [...] > C-B Thank you for your contribution, I can't tell you how much I value it. -- I can't go on, I'll go on.
From: Aatu Koskensilta on 1 Jun 2010 15:43
Frederick Williams <frederick.williams2(a)tesco.net> writes: > Charlie-Boo wrote: >> >> [...] >> C-B > > Thank you for your contribution, I can't tell you how much I value it. Oh come on, do tell. -- Aatu Koskensilta (aatu.koskensilta(a)uta.fi) "Wovon man nicht sprechan kann, dar�ber muss man schweigen" - Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus |