Born on June 23, 1912, Alan Turning was a renowned computer scientist, English mathematician, philosopher, logician, theoretical biologist, and cryptanalyst, and he is famed for his code-breaking war, which makes him be considered the father of artificial intelligence and computer science. Alan Turning spent a large part of his childhood in Sherborne and Hastings District, where he attended Sherborne School. Gifted with science and math, Alan proceeded to study mathematics at Cambridge University. While at Cambridge, Turing was inspired by Max Newman's lectures to engage the Decision Problem. This essay will briefly discuss the life and work of Alan Turning and explain how these aspects impact people today.
Soon after completing his education, Alan Turning's prowess and admirable capabilities came to the limelight. Turning worked for the Government Code and Cypher School, a reputable Britain code-breaking center during World War II. During his tenure as the leader of Hut 8 (a group that foreso the German Naval crypto-analysis), he came up with techniques that could speed up the breaking of German ciphers and improved the Polish pre-war bombe method (Grime, 2012). Through his impeccable coding skills, he intercepted coded messages that help ground the Nazis and their war allies, bringing victory home. It is difficult to precisely determine the effect of Ultra intelligence (his area of expertise) on the war, but experts today posit that it helped reduce the period the war was to continue by approximately two years, thus saving close to 14 million lives. After the war, Turning was hired by the National Physical Laboratory. During his stay with the institution, he came up with the Automatic Computing Engine, which became the first-ever stored-program computer. He helped develop the Manchester computers after joining Max Newman's Computing Machine Laboratory. This is the place where he developed an interest in mathematical biology. Unfortunately, the ending of Alan Turning was not a happy one. In 1952, Turning was prosecuted for engaging in homosexual activities. During this time, same-gender sexual relationships were illegal, and he was found guilty (White, 2012). He was given two choices as punishment for his offense. Rather than going to prison, Turning chose to undergo chemical castration, which eventually rendered him impotent. He later committed suicide by biting on an apple that was treated with cyanide.
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Turning's achievements have been accredited for their immense impact on instantaneously changing history's course twice, a very exceptional achievement. His computing prowess did not only help in defeating the Nazis but also set the foundation for modern computing. His ideas have given birth to Facebook, iPad, mobile phones, and other hardware and software. The foundation he laid with artificial intelligence has been the basis of modern-day research in the same field. Close to six decades after his death, Turning's provocative questions about whether computers can think independently seem less ridiculous today than during his time. Year after year, technology has continually advanced in its sophistication, increasing processor speeds, creating cleverer and sleeker interfaces and learning algorithms, and increasing the speed of internet connection. Turning's pioneering concepts drive the world of computing into advanced capabilities like understanding concepts, making value judgments, and processing information like human brains. It is believed that Turning lived ahead of his time (Copeland, n.d.). Turning's life and work has influenced the world of computing and created room for social life. Turning was gay, and when he admitted to his sexual relationship with another male, he was punished by law through chemical castration. I tend to believe that the law in the UK during his time was harsh and inconsiderate. The harsh ruling he received from the UK justice system provoked sexual rights activists in the modern age to push for the pardoning of Turning posthumously. In 2009, the British government publicly apologized for the harsh ruling on Turning. This is an implication of empowerment among people in same-sex relationships, and such an apology has helped create an inclusive society rather than a segregated one.
In conclusion, Alan Turning was a renowned computer scientist, English mathematician, philosopher, logician, theoretical biologist, and cryptanalyst whose mathematical prowess and computer coding skills helped not only during his age but years later in the computing world. He helped develop Manchester computers and shortened the war span in Europe by countering the Nazis with his coding skills, which helped intercept encrypted messages. His founding knowledge in computer coding has helped develop present-day gadgets like iPads and mobile phones. It has also helped create more efficient systems with faster internet, increased processor speeds, among others. The ruling he received due to his same-gender sexual engagements also provoked activism and empowerment among LGBTQ persons, who managed to make the UK government offer a public apology for such a ruling and enhanced inclusivity in society. Turning will forever be remembered for his contributions in the field of computer technology and social rights.
References
Copeland, B. J. (n.d.). Alan Turing. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-Turing
Grime, J. (2012). What Did Turing Do for Us? Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://nrich.maths.org/8050
White, R. (2012, January 09). Difficult to decode: Alan Turing's life and its implications. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2012/turing-biography/
