Alan Turing
(1912-1954)

"Alan Turing" by Doke CC BY 2.0 Flickr

Having grown up in England he excelled in science and math subjects in his early education. He also found a good friend, Christopher Morcom, who suddenly died of tuberculosis in 1930. His death had a profound effect on the young Alan, influencing his future work on a computer’s capabilities (BBC 2019). In 1931, he would earn himself a scholarship to attend the University of Cambridge, his time and work there granting him a degree in Mathematics. (Copeland 2020). In 1936, he would publish a seminal paper, titled “On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem[Decision Problem].” In the paper, he outlined a modern day concept of computers, creating a distinction between a “Turing machine” and a “Universal machine”, or one that is designed to do a specific task infinitely, or one that can do a variety of these tasks. Universal machines are the modern day computers we have today (Simon 2019).

After briefly completing his Phd at Princeton University,  he later became a part of the communications section in the British war front against the Germans in WWII (Copeland & BBC 2019). His job was to aid the British in breaking the German’s Enigma code, which was used to encrypt their signals. While assisting, he was able to create his own Turing machine, called the Bombe, that was able to counteract the encryption or permutation of the Germans. Some 200 of these machines were made to decipher the Nazi communications around the clock. This and the contributions he and his code-breaking department provided to the second world war were believed to have shortened its length by two full years (Simon 2019 & BBC 2019).

After the war was over, he published another paper titled “Computing Machinery and Intelligence.” This one discusses the future for computers, stating that computers would eventually be able to think for themselves, and that if the human evaluator can be fooled to think an AI is human, then it may demonstrate human intelligence. Although we haven’t reached true computer sentience yet, this became a standard for testing algorithms meant to mimic humans, called the Turing test. 

Alas, much of his contributions to the AI and computer world end here. He was a homosexual during his life, and any activity of this sort was illegal in England until the 1960s. In 1952 he was arrested for it, having displayed affectionate feelings towards another man, and only avoided prison by being treated with chemical castration (injecting estrogen) to treat his “affliction”, which affected all aspects of his health. On top of this, he was prohibited from his previous work facilities by being put on probation. Two years later, in the midst of work he would kill himself with cyanide. (Copeland 2020)

Due to the war and his homosexuality, his work wasn’t even officially recognized by the British government for his work due to the “crime” on his record. However, in 2012 several scientists and activists, including Stephen Hawking, wrote a letter stating how the only reason he isn’t recognized still is because of the basis of being a homosexual, and how he deserves respect for what he gave the nation.(Rosen 2012) The following year he would be given a pardon by Queen Elizabeth. Three years later, more pardons for homosexuals followed suit. Two years ago, it was announced the new image for the 50 pound British note would be him, believed to enter circulation later this year. (Chappell 2019).

References

BBC. (2019, August 27). Alan Turing: Creator of modern computing. BBC Teach. https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/alan-turing-creator-of-modern-computing/zhwp7nb. 

Thomas, B. B. (2014, November 27). Portrayal of Imitation Game 'baddy' is inaccurate, says family. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/27/imitation-game-alastair-
denniston-inaccurate-family. 

Chappell, B. (2019, July 15). Alan Turing, Computing genius And WWII hero, to be on U.K.'s NEW 50-Pound Note. https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741759995/alan-turing-wwii-hero-and- computing-genius-will-be-on-bank-of-englands-50-note. 

Copeland, B. (2020, June 19). Alan Turing. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alan-Turing

Rosen, R. J (2012, December 18). Stephen Hawking Calls for Alan Turing's Pardon. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/12/stephen-hawking-calls-for-alan- turings-pardon/266438/. 

Simon, K. (2019, July 16). The Contributions of Alan Turing. Profolus. https://www.profolus.com/topics/the-contributions-of-alan-turing/.