History of Computing and Computers

Essays Suggested by CS Calude

• Has Neumann applied Turing theoretical ideas in designing the IAS Machine?

  During 1936 through 1938 Alan Turing was a visitor at the Institute for Advanced Studies and completed a Ph.D. dissertation under von Neumann's supervision. This visit occurred shortly after Turing's publication of his 1934 paper "On Computable Numbers with an Application to the Entscheidungs-problem" which involved the concepts of logical design and the universal machine. It must be concluded that von Neumann knew of Turing's ideas, though whether he applied them to the design of the IAS Machine ten years later is questionable.

  Suggested References

  • W.F. Aspray. From Mathematical Constructivity to Computer Science: Alan Turing, John von Neumann, and the Origins of Computer Science in Mathematical Logic, 1980. Unpublished Ph. D. Dissertation, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison WI.
  • W.F. Aspray. The mathematical reception of the modern computer: John von Neumann and the Institute for Advanced Study computer, in Phillips, Esther R. (ed), Studies in the History of Mathematics, Vol. 26, MAA, Washington DC,1987, pp. 166-194.
  • J. Bigelow. Computer development at the Institute for Advanced Study, in Metropolis, N., J. Howlett, and Gian-Carlo Rota. 1980. A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century, Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1980, pp. 291-310.
  • H.H. Goldstine. The Computer from Pascal to von Neumann, Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton NJ,1972.
  • D. Ritchie. The Computer Pioneers, Simon & Shuster, Inc., New York, 1986. Chapter 9.
  • N. Stern. From ENIAC to UNIVAC: An Appraisal of the Eckert-Mauchly Computers, Digital Press, Bedford MA, 1981.
  • N. Stern. Computing, 1944-46, Ann. Hist. Comp., Vol. 2, No. 4, 1980, pp. 349-362.
  • A.H. Taub (ed). John von Neumann: Collected Works, 1903-1957, 6 Vols., Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1961-63.
  
  
• The first papers in algorithmic information theory

  There are a few misconceptions and inexactities about priorities in algorithmic information theory (especially related to the first papers) which are widely repeated...

  Suggested References

  • C. Calude. Information and Randomness --- An Algorithmic Perspective, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1994.
  • G. J. Chaitin. Information, Randomness and Incompleteness, Papers on Algorithmic Information Theory, World Scientific, Singapore, 1987. (2nd ed., 1990)
  • G. J. Chaitin. Information-Theoretic Incompleteness, World Scientific, Singapore, 1992.
  • M. Li, P. M. Vitanyi. An Introduction to Kolmogorov Complexity and Its Applications, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1993.
  • A. N. Kolmogorov. Three approaches for defining the concept of ``information quantity", Problems Inform. Transmission 1(1965), 3-11.
  • G. Markowsky. Introduction to algorithmic information theory, J. UCS 5(1996), 245-269.
  • R.J. Solomonoff. The discovery of algorithmic probability: A guide for the programming of true creativity, in P. Vitanyi (ed.). Computational learning theory. Proceedings of the Second European Conference (EuroCOLT '95), Lecture Notes in Computer Science 904, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1995, 1-23.

  
  
• Occam's razor principle

  Occam's razor is a logical principle attributed to the mediaeval philosopher William of Occam (or Ockham). The principle, often called the principle of parsimony, states that "one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything". In any given model, Occam's razor recommends to "cut away" those concepts, variables or constructs that are not really needed to explain the phenomenon. So, the model will become much easier, and there is less chance of introducing inconsistencies, ambiguities and redundancies.

  Suggested References

  • G. J. Chaitin. Information, Randomness and Incompleteness, Papers on Algorithmic Information Theory, World Scientific, Singapore, 1987. (2nd ed., 1990)
  • G. J. Chaitin. Information-Theoretic Incompleteness, World Scientific, Singapore, 1992.
  • J. Horgan. The End of Science, Addison-Wesley, New York, 1996. Chapters 3, 9.
  • The Scientific Method
  • Occam's razor in PRINCIPIA CYBERNETICA WEB
  
  
• Does Goedel's incompleteness theorem apply to physics?

  Since all physical laws are mathematical, and mathematics is incomplete (Goedel) it is plausible that physics is incomplete and therefore open-ended. Is this "hope" (expressed by Penrose and many others) true?

  Suggested References

  • J. Cornwell (ed.). Nature's Imagination, Oxford University Press, 1995. Chapters 2, 3, 4, 11.
  • J. Horgan. The End of Science, Addison-Wesley, New York, 1996. Chapters 3, 9, 10.
  • D. McCullough. "Can humans escape Goedel?", PSYCHE 2, 4 (1995).
  • R. Penrose. Shadows of the Mind, Oxford University Press, 1994.
  • R. Penrose. "Beyond the doubting of a shadow", PSYCHE 2, 23 (1996).