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'''Alan Turing''' (1912 - 1954) was a British mathematician who contributed to modern [[computer]] science and [[cryptography]].<ref>Http://www.turing.org.uk/bio</ref>

'''Alan Turing''' (1912 - 1954) was a British mathematician who contributed to modern [[computer]] science and [[cryptography]].<ref>Http://www.turing.org.uk/bio</ref>

In the 1930s Turing proposed the concept of a "[[turning machine|Universal Turing Machine]]".  Turing had, first, proposed that the operations needed to calculate any formula could be broken down into a base set of instructions (or primitive [[Recursion|recursive functions]]) that could in principle be followed by a machine: the "Turing Machine".  Once fully formalized the calculations needed to derive the instructions themselves were capable of being run by a Turing Machine.  The looped [[logic]] allowed the conception of a Turing Machine that could create its own instruction and, in principle, run a huge variety of calculations. Turing then used the concept of Universal Turing Machine to prove the undecidability of the [[halting problem]].   

 

In the 1930s Turing proposed the concept of a "[[turing machine|Universal Turing Machine]]".  Turing had, first, proposed that the operations needed to calculate any formula could be broken down into a base set of instructions (or primitive [[Recursion|recursive functions]]) that could in principle be followed by a machine: the "Turing Machine".  Once fully formalized the calculations needed to derive the instructions themselves were capable of being run by a Turing Machine.  The looped [[logic]] allowed the conception of a Turing Machine that could create its own instruction and, in principle, run a huge variety of calculations. Turing then used the concept of Universal Turing Machine to prove the undecidability of the [[halting problem]].   

 

During [[World War II]] Turing was assigned to the codebreaking unit at Bletchley Park, where he worked on the decoding of the German's [[Enigma machine]]. Turing and his colleagues played a significant role in the Allied victory in WW2, allowing Allied forces access to German communication networks throughout much of the war.  

During [[World War II]] Turing was assigned to the codebreaking unit at Bletchley Park, where he worked on the decoding of the German's [[Enigma machine]]. Turing and his colleagues played a significant role in the Allied victory in WW2, allowing Allied forces access to German communication networks throughout much of the war.  

In his 1950 paper "[[Computing]] Machinery and Intelligence" (Mind 49: 433-460) Turing proposed a test (apparently heavily influenced by [[Logical Positivism]]) for establishing whether a computer could think.

 

In his 1950 paper "[[Computing]] Machinery and Intelligence" (Mind 49: 433-460) Turing proposed a test (apparently heavily influenced by [[Logical Positivism]]) for establishing whether a computer could think (see [[artificial intelligence]]).  

Turing was arrested in 1952 for [[homosexuality|homosexual acts]] and subsequently lost his security clearance. He was allowed to stay out of prison by agreeing to be injected with female hormones (which would supposedly decrease his sex drive).  He later confided to a friend that the hormones caused him to grow breasts.<ref>''Oddballs and Eccentrics''.  Shaw, Karl.  Edison, New Jersey: Castle Books, 2004</ref>  This may have contributed to his suicide by [[cyanide]] poisoning in 1954.<ref>http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/index.html</ref> The British Government issued a formal, official apology for the way Alan Turing and other homosexuals were treated in the past.<ref>http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page20571</ref>

Turing was arrested in 1952 for [[homosexuality|homosexual acts]] and subsequently lost his security clearance. He was allowed to stay out of prison by agreeing to be injected with female hormones (which would supposedly decrease his sex drive).  He later confided to a friend that the hormones caused him to grow breasts.<ref>''Oddballs and Eccentrics''.  Shaw, Karl.  Edison, New Jersey: Castle Books, 2004</ref>  This may have contributed to his suicide by [[cyanide]] poisoning in 1954.<ref>http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/index.html</ref> The British Government issued a formal, official apology for the way Alan Turing and other homosexuals were treated in the past.<ref>http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page20571</ref>