Before digital computers ever existed, Alan Turing envisioned their
power and versatility...but also proved what computers could never
do.
In an extraordinary and ultimately tragic life that unfolded
like a novel, Turing helped break the German Enigma code to turn
the tide of World War II, later speculated on artificial
intelligence, fell victim to the homophobic witchhunts of the early
1950s, and committed suicide at the age of 41. Yet Turing is most
famous for an eerily prescient 1936 paper in which he invented an
imaginary computing machine, explored its capabilities and
intrinsic limitations, and established the foundations of
modern-day programming and computability.
This absorbing book expands Turing's now legendary 36-page
paper with extensive annotations, fascinating historical context,
and page-turning glimpses into his private life. From his use of
binary numbers to his exploration of concepts that today's
programmers will recognize as RISC processing, subroutines,
algorithms, and others, Turing foresaw the future and helped to
mold it. In our post-Turing world, everything is a Turing Machine
-- from the most sophisticated computers we can build, to the
hardly algorithmic processes of the human mind, to the
information-laden universe in which we live.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!