A double enigma: what did Alan Turing do in 1945 and in 1954?, Andrew Hodges | LMS Alan Turing

Abstract: Just 75 years ago, Turing gave his own talk to the London Mathematical Society, in the course of which he asserted that all the digital computers then being planned could be regarded as practical versions of the 1936 Universal Turing Machine. Can Turing be said to have originated the digital computer? What happened in 1945? I will first review this highly contentious issue. In the second part of the talk I will address another much debated question, that of how and why he met his death in 1954. In both cases I will try to illustrate the depth of Turing’s experience, both mathematical and personal.
Part of the LMS Society Meeting 'Diverse Perspectives on Alan Turing' which took place on Friday 4 March 2022 at De Morgan House, London and online.
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