It’s a bit ironic, really, that Gibson chose Alan Turing as the inspiration for his futuristic police force:
Several of the best scenes in [Neuromancer] show the Turing police in action, as they carry out their task of making sure any AIs are firmly under human control.
Cruel ideas about controlling humans led to Turing’s suicide.
Via Andrew Sullivan
ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY: June 7 was the fiftieth anniversary of the suicide of Alan Turing, one of the forefathers of modern computing who was also critical in cracking the Nazi Enigma Code that helped win the war against Hitler. For these achievements, he was persecuted, given estrogen injections and threatened with jail because he was homosexual. Just another gay man fighting for his country only to be treated with contempt and cruelty – like so many American servicemembers today.
Inspired, perhaps, by the previous post?
Turing got a raw deal, and died long before he was done with his work. Very, very sad.
Speaking of sci-fi (or is it spec-fic again?), Stephenson works Turing into Cryptonomicon, where Our Hero runs into a youngish Turing and is at first confused and then (when he gets it) unconcerned by Turing’s sexual orientation. I’m not sure if the moral of that part of the book wasn’t something like: those overly obsessed with the sexual activities of others have far, far too little else to occupy their time with.
What does he mean, servicemembers?
What does he mean, servicemembers?
Who knows? Might be a British thing.
Inspired, perhaps, by the previous post?
Perhaps a connection, but I was really fascinated with the idea of the Turing police from the time I heard about it, but only learned today that Turing killed himself and had been treated so ungratefully, considering what he had one for his country before then. That’s gratitude for ya.
“Speaking of sci-fi (or is it spec-fic again?)”
To each their own, but I’m old-fashioned, so I continue to prefer “sf” and reserve “sci-fi” for what it meant for decades, which is “bad tripe in movies and tv.” This is now, of course, an old-fashioned, minority, usage.
Also a little old-fashioned now is the one-time hip usage of “skiffy.”
I’m not that old, Gary. Or at least, not that hip.
Edward, for what Turing did (or even, for what he was), he should have had a get out of jail free card, in perpetuity. That wasn’t exactly England’s finest hour.
Oh, and Edward: the reason they’re called the Turing police has to do with a notion Turing came up with (roughly and imprecisely: a machine whose ability to respond to inquiries is indistinguishable from that of a human), called the Turing Machine. It hasn’t anything at all to do with Turing himself, personally, other than that he came up with the idea. It’s an idea that Stephenson uses quite a bit in Cryptonomicon, as well.
“he should have had a get out of jail free card”
Maybe they should have rethought the very existence of the jail. I’m sure there were many other people suffering under the same plight that would have wondered why Turing was reprieved for having been born brilliant.
No disrespect intended to Turing, mind you. I respect him greatly, as do all computer scientists. But you don’t earn compassionate treatment.
Then again, one man’s compassion is another man’s cruelty. It’s for your own good, you know.
“Oh, and Edward: the reason they’re called the Turing police has to do with a notion Turing came up with (roughly and imprecisely: a machine whose ability to respond to inquiries is indistinguishable from that of a human), called the Turing Machine.”
Um, this is something that can be quibbled over, in that, more accurately, it’s the “Turing Test” which such a theoretical machine would pass, that the “police” are named after, and for which Turing is best known in AI (and sf) circles. See here.
“… but only learned today that Turing killed himself and had been treated so ungratefully….”
Since that is the case, I recommend this (buy via that link! give me money!) and this website and the play Breaking The Code, as starters.
Oops. Forgot to point out why “Turing Machine” shouldn’t be confused with “Turing Test.”
You know, now I’ve got “The Turing Police, they live inside of my head/The Turing Police, they come to me in my bed . . . “ gallavanting through my head.
On the bright side, it’s replaced, “I’m Ronald Reagan, the real Ronald Reagan, all you other Ronald Reagan’s are just imitating . . .
Gary:
Yeah, I just knew I was getting my wires crossed with the Turing references. I believe the Turing police reference connects with the Turing machine reference, and not the Turing Test.
On the bright side
On the dark side, I’ve got Max Headroom flashbacks now. Damn you, Phil.
Of course, Bill managed to get Neuromancer picked up and published by Susan Allison at Ace just in time for it to be not long after that that his memorable first line became obsolete.
I can only imagine what young ‘uns today think. “The sky is blue? What’s up with that? So what?”
Of course, Bill managed to get Neuromancer picked up and published by Susan Allison at Ace just in time for it to be not long after that that his memorable first line became obsolete.
Far, far too low on the caffeine curve to untangle that. Translation, please?
“The sky was the color of television tuned to a dead channel.”
From memory; beg pardon if faulty memory has altered it in any way.
It was supposed to indicate sky looking like hideous static; it was shortly thereafter that they stopped making television sets that allowed that.
Ah. See, I wasn’t even close, on a guess.
Gary, you’re a font of…well, of interesting stuff.
“Gary, you’re a font of…well, of interesting stuff.”
Better than the opposite, or innumerable alternatives. Thank you.
I hope you and others have noticed that I’m now also posting at net?
I’ve already been accused of being a “big partisan” because I said I wasn’t going to be voting for President Bush, and of lowering the quality of the blog. I’m so proud.
Have you checked out my comments (updated today) at Amygdala on the Maoist Movie Reviews? I hope I’m not the only one who finds those hilarious.
I’d possibly find it easier to be a fount, though. I wouldn’t have to worry about multiple meanings of myself, and whether I was san serif or not.
On the other hand, I could always revert to type.
“I hope you and others have noticed that I’m now also posting at net?”
Er, oops. Winds of Change. Sometimes I am a font of initial typos. Baptise yourself in them, and be blessed!