SUNY Geneseo Department of Computer Science

Alan Turing

Thursday, April 3

Intd 105 13, Spring 2014
Prof. Doug Baldwin

Misc

Tuesday (April 8) is GREAT Day

Turing’s contributions to math and computer science

Turing machine
- Purely theoretical machine that turns out to be equivalent to modern computers. Based on tape for memory and “states” for short-term storage during computation
- Universal Turing machines: one of the computations a Turing machine can do is interpret another program, i.e., such a Turing machine can be programmed to do anything
Proof that Turing machines (and math) can’t do certain things
Turing test
- Possible standard for how to tell if a computer is intelligent
- Can a person carrying out an arbitrary conversation tell whether they are communicating with the computer or with another person?
- Try it: most of the class asks questions to a small group, who either answer themselves, or relay questions and resulting responses to an Eliza web app (Eliza = classic language-understanding program that carries out a psychotherapist-style conversation with its user, purely based on pattern-matching in input, no understanding at all)

Other biographical facts

Key code-breaker at Bletchley Park during World War II, especially in first half of war
Designed electronic computer after war, it never got built
Eventually went to Manchester University where a computer had been built and was operating
Arrested for a homosexual liaison
Accepted drug “treatment” rather than go to prison
Probable suicide ca 2 years after arrest

To what extent is Tom Jericho supposed to “be” Turing?

Lots of similarities, e.g., both are mathematicians, both based at Cambridge, both work (and live) in same place on same problems at Bletchley, both are socially awkward
But Turing is a distinct off-stage character in Enigma
Harris probably took a lot of inspiration for Jericho from Turing, and maybe had some fun with some connections, but Jericho is not just Turing-as-superhero

Tuesday: GREAT Day, no class

Thursday (4/10): Enigma essay peer critiques