MIME-Version: 1.0 From: "Alan J. Perlis" Date: Sat, 01 Jan 1966 12:00:00 -0400 Message-ID: Subject: The Synthesis of Algorithmic Systems To: Alan Turing Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=047d7b450b100959e604d85a5320 --047d7b450b100959e604d85a5320 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Both knowledge and wisdom extend man's reach. Knowledge led to computers, wisdom to chopsticks. Unfortunately our association is overinvolved with the former. The latter will have to wait for a more sublime day. On what does and will the fame of Turing rest? That he proved a theorem showing that for a general computing device--later dubbed a "Turing machine"--there existed functions which it could not compute? I doubt it. More likely it rests on the model he invented and employed: his formal mechanism. This model has captured the imagination and mobilized the thoughts of a generation of scientists. It has provided a basis for arguments leading to theories. His model has proved so useful that its generated activity has been distributed not only in mathematics, but through several technologies as well. The arguments that have been employed are not always formal and the consequent creations not all abstract. Indeed a most fruitful consequence of the Turing machine has been with the creation, study and computation of functions which are computable, i.e., in computer programming. This is not surprising since computers can compute so much more than we yet know how to specify. I am sure that all will agree that this model has been enormously valuable. History will forgive me for not devoting any attention in this lecture to the effect which Turing had on the development of the general-purpose digital computer, which has further accelerated our involvement with the theory and practice of computation. Since the appearance of Turing's model there have, of course, been others which have concerned and benefited us in computing. I think, however, that only one has had an effect as great as Turing's: the formal mechanism called ALGOL Many will immediately disagree, pointing out that too few of us have understood it or used it. While such has, unhappily, been the case, it is not the point. The impulse given by ALGOL to the development of research in computer science is relevant while the number of adherents is not. ALGOL, too, has mobilized our thoughts and has provided us with a basis for our arguments. --047d7b450b100959e604d85a5320 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Both knowledge and wisdom extend man's reach. Kno= wledge led to computers, wisdom to chopsticks. Unfortunately our associatio= n is overinvolved with the former. The latter will have to wait for a more = sublime day.=C2=A0
On what does and will the fame of Turing rest? That he proved a theore= m showing that for a general computing device--later dubbed a "Turing = machine"--there existed functions which it could not compute? I doubt = it. More likely it rests on the model he invented and employed: his formal = mechanism.=C2=A0
This model has captured the imagination and mobilized the thoughts of = a generation of scientists. It has provided a basis for arguments leading t= o theories. His model has proved so useful that its generated activity has = been distributed not only in mathematics, but through several technologies = as well. The arguments that have been employed are not always formal and th= e consequent creations not all abstract.=C2=A0
Indeed a most fruitful consequence of the Turing machine has been with= the creation, study and computation of functions which are computable, i.e= ., in computer programming. This is not surprising since computers can comp= ute so much more than we yet know how to specify.=C2=A0
I am sure that all will agree that this model has been enormously valu= able. History will forgive me for not devoting any attention in this lectur= e to the effect which Turing had on the development of the general-purpose = digital computer, which has further accelerated our involvement with the th= eory and practice of computation.=C2=A0
Since the appearance of Turing's model there have, of course, been= others which have concerned and benefited us in computing. I think, howeve= r, that only one has had an effect as great as Turing's: the formal mec= hanism called ALGOL Many will immediately disagree, pointing out that too f= ew of us have understood it or used it.=C2=A0
While such has, unhappily, been the case, it is not the point. The imp= ulse given by ALGOL to the development of research in computer science is r= elevant while the number of adherents is not. ALGOL, too, has mobilized our= thoughts and has provided us with a basis for our arguments.=C2=A0
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