Turing's Man

Part 1 Introduction: the measure of technological change; the computer as a defining technology; Turing's man. Part 2 Defining technologies in western culture: manual technology and the ancient world; mechanical technology and western Europe; dynamic technology and western Europe; electronic technology; from the clock to the computer; the electronic brain. Part 3 Principles of operation: the Turing machine - states and symbols; the von Neumann computer; hardware and software. Part 4 Embodied symbol - mathematics by computer: binary representation and numerical analysis; mathematics and culture; embodied mathematics. Part 5 Embodied symbol - logic by computer: truth and the von Neumann machine; the triumph of logic; the embodiment of logical thought. Part 6 Electronic space: physical space; logical space; finite space; infinite space; the geometry of electronic space. Part 7 Time and progress in the computer age: electronic clocks; time experienced and measured; progress in circles; the idea of progress. Part 8 Electronic language: natural and artificial language; the hierarchy of computer language; poetry and logic; the ancient view; the western European view; silent structures. Part 9 Electronic memory: digital memory technology; the art of memory; information retrieval and electronic power. Part 10 Creator and creation: coherence and correspondence; electronic limits; creating by hand and by machine; reason and necessity; electronic play. Part 11 Artificial intelligence: Turing's game; language, memory, and other games; the technology of making man; the electronic image of man; artifact and artificer. Part 12 Conclusion: natural man; from Socrates to Faust to Turing; living with Turing's man; invention and discovery; the computer as a tool; synthetic intelligence.