Turing and Von Neumann: From Logic to the Computer

Philosophies

article

B. Jack Copeland¹  Zhao Fan² 

[1] Department of Philosophy, University of Canterbury;Graduate School of System Informatics, Kobe University

关键词: history of philosophy;    history of logic;    Turing;    von Neumann;    philosophy and history of computing;    Entscheidungsproblem;    universal Turing machine;    logical control;    stored-program concept;    logical adder;   

DOI  :  10.3390/philosophies8020022

学科分类：内科医学

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

This article provides a detailed analysis of the transfer of a key cluster of ideas from mathematical logic to computing. We demonstrate the impact of certain of Turing’s logico-philosophical concepts from the mid-1930s on the emergence of the modern electronic computer—and so, in consequence, Turing’s impact on the direction of modern philosophy, via the computational turn. We explain why both Turing and von Neumann saw the problem of developing the electronic computer as a problem in logic, and we describe their joint journey from logic to electronic computation. While much has been written about Turing’s and von Neumann’s individual contributions to the development of the computer, this article investigates less well-known terrain: their interactions and mutual influences. Along the way we argue against ‘logic skeptics’ and ‘Turing skeptics’, who claim that neither logic nor Turing played any significant role in the creation of the modern computer.

【 授权许可】

CC BY