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ALAN TURING THE FATHER OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
ALAN TURING: THE FATHER OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
On 23rd June 1912 at Paddington, London, Alan Turing was born. The child of a Briton who worked in the Indian Civil service, Julius Mathison Turing and Ethel Sara Stoney, who had married in India, would become who the world calls the Father of Computer Science.
Though he rose to become a brilliant mathematician who contributed in turning the tide of the Second World War, Alan did not get the best out of his early school days in learning. Just after he was sent to school his parents removed him because he did not seem to be obtaining anything. He was later admitted at the Hazlehurst Preparatory School, where his performance seemed average in most subjects but he had a tendency of following his own ideas, which made him stand out from other pupils of his age. He played chess and joined the debate team of his school.
In 1926 he joined the Sherburne School after having passed his Common Entrance exam, the same year when there was a general strike. During the strike Turing would cycle 60 miles from home to school which made him fit to the standards of an Olympics athlete. He did not like the setting of the public schools, the same case with many original thinkers who were against the idea of conventional schooling. His thinking led him to different directions from those that his teachers were taking.
He had a poor handwriting which made teachers always complain; he was also weak in English and mathematics, he mainly concentrated on his own ideas from which he always tried to provide solutions for existing problems. Although he always produced unconventional answers, he always won most of the prizes in mathematics at his school. From an early age he had shown interest in chemistry and when he got the chance in school, he carried out experiments with his own agenda, but this did not always go well for him with the teachers.
At school, his headmaster suggested in a comment that due to his interests Turing would rather not be in a Public School, “If he is to stay in a public school, he must aim at becoming educated. If he is to be solely a Scientist, he is wasting his time at a Public School”. On his own Turinglearnt deep mathematics though his teachers were not aware, he read Einstein’s papers on relativity and also researched about quantum mechanics in Eddington`s “The nature of the physical world”.
In 1928, something that would greatly change Turing’s life happened, he became friends with Christopher Morcom, a pupil who was a class above him and together they worked on their scientific ideas. For the first time Turing had found someone who appreciated his ideas and with whom they could share thought and ideas together. However this feeling was soon to be shattered in 1930 when Morcom died, a very sad moment in life for Turing.
Having persevered difficult school years, Turing joined King`s College in Cambridge to take a course in mathematics. His journey to the King`s College was not without difficulty, on his first attempt in the scholarship examinations in 1929, he failed to win a scholarship but won an exhibition but on his second try, the following year he was successful getting the scholarship. College was a relief for Turing because it gave room for people with unconventional ideas like his, this gave Turing a chance to explore his own ideas and he also got to read Russell`s Introduction to mathematical philosophy, he also read Von Neumann’s article on quantum mechanics, a concept he revisited many times in his life.
In 1933 Turing grew an interest for mathematical logic. The following year he wrote a paper on Mathematics and logic, in which he suggested that a purely logistic view of mathematics was inadequate; and mathematical propositions possessed a variety of interpretations of which the logistic was merely one.
In 1933, like many other young people at the time of Hitler’s rise, Turing joined the anti-war movement though he was not polarized to Marxism neither was he to pacifism. During the war, he worked at Britain’s code breaking center as a cryptanalyst he was able to break German ciphers thus being a great asset for Britain during the war.
He graduated in 1934 and the year later he enrolled for an advanced course on the foundations of math at Max Newman School. The course covered Gödel’s incompleteness results and Hebert’s question on decidability. Here an algorithm to decide whether a statement was true or false was studied, at this time most propositions had a true or false answer, but Turing focused on getting an algorithm for that propositions without a true or false answer.
Since attending the Newman`s course, Turing focused on the true/false questions, in 1936 Turing made a publication on Computable numbers with an application to the Enthscheidungs problem, in which he introduced an abstract machine, which is now known as the Turing Machine, which changed states by using a set of rules which were contained in the finite table, this depended on a single symbol it read from a tape. Using the Turing machine a person could write or delete a symbol from a tape. The Turning machine formalized the concepts of algorithm and computing.
Turing defined a computable number as one which is a real number and its decimal expansion could be produced by the Turing machine beginning with a blanktape; he also defined a number that is not computable as one which cannot be described in finite terms. His paper has been of fundamental importance to mathematics and computer science, though in 1936 a publication by the Alonzo church suggested that that there is no decision procedure for arithmetic.
Turing had described the computer as “…a machine which can be made to do the work of any special purpose machine, that is to say to carry out any piece of computing, if a tape bearing suitable instructions is inserted into it…” before it had been constructed. The Turing machine can be compared to today’s computer, where the tape today is represented by computer programs. This is why Turing is referred to as the father of Computer Science; he had also come up with the idea of constructing a computer when he constructed an analogue machine which was to investigate the Riemann hypothesis, which today is still an unsolved mathematical problem.
He was elected in 1951 to be a member of the Royal Society of London, mainly due to his work on the Turing machine.
In 1952 Turing was arrested for violating British homosexuality statutes by the police, he was open about his sexuality and during his trial he told the court that he saw nothing wrong with his behavior. He refused to take the sentence in prison, accepting to take oestrogen injections for a year.
Sadly the great British mathematician and cryptanalyst died in 1954 while conducting electrolysis experiments, he died of cyanide poisoning.
Teuscher, Christof. Alan Turing: life and legacy of a great thinker. Berlin: Springer, 2004. Print.
Gun Control Legislation and Gun Violence In Trump’s Administration
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Gun Control Legislation and Gun Violence In Trump’s Administration
For an extended period, there have been debates on ownership of guns and the regulations governing acquisition and ownership. This paper considers Trumps and other governmental representatives’ actions and suggestions, following a gun downs that occur in the United States. Trump, the president of the United States, has tried to review the legislation on gun control in order to stop epidemics of gun violence. I found three articles to analyze on the gun control issue. The first article of the professional news site from the NYT, second from a liberal news site, Think progress.org and a conservative news site, Redstate.com. To analyze the articles, I used the Society of PJCE (“SPJ Code of Ethics – Society of Professional Journalists”, 2014) and identified the differences in writing styles and the information therein. The codes of Ethics are adhered to in most of the news sources, in their use to inform the audience.
The first article is from the NYT, titled, ‘Trump Weighs Action on Gun Control. But It’s Still a Theoretical Discussion’ and provides information on Trump’s actions on controlling the guns in the states (Haberman et al.,). The article is about Trump’s opinions on gun measures, including senators and statehouse officials. After a gun down where more than thirty students were killed at an elementary school, Christopher Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, communicated to senators to support a bill on background checks. The senators identify that President Trump has not put legislation on gun control that forces a bill through Congress. White House officials feel that Trump has no interest in including public opinion in gun control. I was interested in the SPJ code of ethics that states, “Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing or summarizing a story.” The author ensures that the speaker or source of information is specified. The article has provided the names and titles of individuals who provided views used, hence providing the right context by not misrepresenting. For example, the author mentions senator Mitch Connell and gives his title; majority leader, when giving information on President’s power to call republicans to action.
Also, in another code, “Support the open and civil exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.” (“SPJ Code of Ethics – Society of Professional Journalists”, 2014). For example, the article states that Trump is facing pushback from gun rights advocates, and this may make him drop ideas of doing some things even after promising. The statement is repugnant as this may make citizens lack trust in him; nevertheless, the author stated it. The reader is supposed to understand the stage at which the government has addressed the gun control issue since it is a problem affecting the people. The writer has clearly stated Trumps acts and the possibilities of implementing the promises he makes to the public. However, the article mentions 26 people gunned down in an elementary school and 31 people in El Paso Massacre but does not provide the progress of the case and if the affected got justice. These are sensitive issues, and I may wish to know how the authorities handled it and the legislations on guns that should be changed. After reading the article, one should find more information on Trump’s actions, after the massacres, to understand his reasons for any changes he made.
The title of the second article from thinkprogress.org is, “Mitch McConnell suggests Trump cannot be trusted to mean what he says on guns.” The work is about the leader of the majority Mitch McConnell doubts on Trump’s actions and words concerning stop on gun violence (Israel, 2019). It first acknowledges there have been a series of mass shootings in various places, and Trump had promised background checks but changes later after speaking to the public. McConnell has had an experience of a failed promise, before, with Bill Clinton, and he was honest in radio that the president promised to reinvent the government but instead used funds to reinvent his campaigns. The article tends to provide the weakness of Trump concerning gun control and gives reasons for the facts. I was interested in the SPJ code of ethics that states, “Boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience.’ Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear.” I think the article proves boldness because it provides information of leadership faultiness to the public.
Also, the code, “Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Give voice to the voiceless”, is excellently applied. Trump is in power, and the article provides information on his accountability to the citizens or nation concerning gun control and mass shootings. Application of the code in this article attracts the readers as they wish to understand the take of their leaders on issues affecting them. The reader of this article should know the reason why gun control legislation is not working and why the president’s words cannot be trusted. However, the writer has provided the information based on one person’s opinion, that is McConnel, hence not sufficient to the writer. It limits the data to only one person; therefore, it does not give broad ideas on the issue. Consequently, the reader may not get so much information regarding the issue. It only provides McConnel’s views and opinions on Trump’s actions, which may be biased on individual concepts. Also, after the mention of the mass shootings, the article should provide a link to the materials that can provide information on the shots. After reading the article, the reader should find more evidence that supports the idea in the article; that Trump should not be trusted.
The third article from Redstate.com is titled, “Watch: Nancy Pelosi Gets Treated Like a Republican by the Press, and She Doesn’t Like It at All.” It is a reported article that gives the difference by which the media or press treats the politicians on the two political parties; republicans and democrats (Morse). Democrats have the opportunity to even lie without the reporter correcting them while the Republicans are given hot seat and snarl through pre-established narratives by the media. It then narrows down to Nancy Pelosi’s experience with the press. She is a Democrat, but the media treats her like a republican. She gets directed on what to talk about through the use of questions. She blamed Senator McConnell for the non-existence of advancement in gun control legislation. I was interested in the SJP code of ethics that states, “Never plagiarize. Always attribute.” The article gives information that had happened through other sources and, as such, acknowledges them. For example, the author recognizes information was gotten from an interview with San Francisco Chronicle reporter, and through the interview conversation, the writer acquired the knowledge stated in the article.
Also, under the Society of professional journalist Code of Ethics that states, “provide access to source material when it is relevant and appropriate,” the article applies it by providing a link on further reading. It first explains that the American people are losing interest in gun control; hence gun sales have increased tremendously. It then provides a link that reads, “READ: Gun Sales See Spike Despite Democrat Efforts to Slow It Down.” This link ensures that the reader gets extended information required from the article leading to more understanding. The article wishes to inform the reader of the effect of media on political parties and the party to blame on the issue of gun control that is affecting people. However, I find the topic concentrating on Nancy Pelosi, while the article speaks of the two political parties. Nancy is just used as an example to show the treat. Therefore, the topic should focus on Republicans and Democrats. The reader should find out why the blame has been put on senator McConnell for lack of legislation on gun control. She may have had some power then, when she was in office that may have prevented gun downs occurring in the country.
In the three articles, the NYT news proves to be more informative due to various characterization, and provision of lots of ideas that provide sufficient and efficient information to the audience. Also, in terms of the headline, the New York article offers the right topic to the audience. It first informs that Trump is just weighing actions against the issue and further states that there are no conclusions made, but rather a theoretical discussion. As the reader reads this, one is convinced of the information in the article and understands the conclusion made.
The three articles addressing news on gun control by the government and its officials are informative. They follow some of the code of ethics of the Society of professional journalism, hence providing context, and ensuring they don’t mislead the audience. The New York Times article offers a lot of information that enhances readers understanding and satisfaction. However, the ThinkProgress and RedState articles have limited some information that may be useful to the audience. The headlines, too, are not much informing on the content of the article, unlike the New York article, which provides full information. The new yok headline is direct to the point, understandable, and ensures the reader concentrates on the concept. The information provided and the way it is addressed determines the way the reader will interpret and believe hence proper ethics with short and comprehensive headline is appropriate.
ReferencesHaberman, M., Stolberg, S., & Martin, J. (2019). Trump Weighs Action on Gun Control. But It’s Still a Theoretical Discussion. New York Times. Retrieved 18 February 2020, from http://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/us/politics/trump-gun-control.html.
Israel, J. (2019). Mitch McConnell suggests Trump cannot be trusted to mean what he says on guns. Thinkprogress. Retrieved 18 February 2020, from http://thinkprogress.org/mitch-mcconnell-admits-trump-may-not-actually-support-the-gun-legislation-he-said-he-wanted-c704c035f366/.
Morse, B. (2019). Watch: Nancy Pelosi Gets Treated Like a Republican by the Press and She Doesn’t Like It at All. Redstate. Retrieved 18 February 2020, from http://www.redstate.com/brandon_morse/2019/09/12/watch-nancy-pelosi-gets-treated-like-republican-press-doesnt-like/.
SPJ Code of Ethics – Society of Professional Journalists. Spj.org. (2014). Retrieved 18 February 2020, from https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp.
Alan Mulally, CEO Ford
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Alan Mulally, CEO Ford
Mulally’s Ethical behaviors have played a significant role in achieving the company’s fortune. Ethical behaviors refer to behavior that is legally and morally accepted as good and right to in most communities. Ethics refers to code of moral principles and values that direct an organization behavior with respect to what is good or evil.
Integrity is the most rated value of all values for effective leadership. The integrity of profit making and other resource allocation has been a day-to to-day practice by Mulally, which has distinguished him from the rest of the competitors. The CEO always maintains honesty, with himself and his staff. He also learns from his mistakes and corrects them instantly. He also knows clearly that he is the company’s symbol; hence he has to set an example and expect his staff to follow the same trend (Reed, 2012). The Mulally appreciates the employees’ presence since they make the company, i.e. those companies that value their workers earn a lot of profit than those that do not. Researches indicate that profitable companies have enacted several measures such as providing labor security, a better pay package, employing self-driven teams, sharing information, training employees among others and this helps in maintaining the company’s image (Ford, n.d).
Mulally has created customer loyalty, which is a key to long-term success. This is because serving existing clients does not require market cost or advertisement cost compared to looking for new ones. The company has also uphold state regulations such as obeying environmental laws, workers safety measures, labor laws, among others to avoid the time and resource wastage in law courts. As a result, the company that disobeys any state regulation can be sanctioned or even fined and this can cause profit reduction (Reed, 2012).
Mulally has made several critical decisions, and among them is when he mortgage most the company’s assets to finance a turnaround. The decision saved Ford from falling in to bankruptcy and taking a government aid in 2009. He also changed global operations, and he restructured Explorer SUV and Fiesta subcompact. Therefore, he saved employees from losing their jobs, and avoided conflicts with creditors, which would otherwise tarnish the image of the company (Durbin, 2012).
Successful company has stronger organizational behavior features such as role clarity, performance feedback and information sharing.
Durbin, D.A. (2012). Ford CEO Alan Mulally pockets $34.5 million bonus. Retrieved from http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/03/ford-ceo-alan-mulally-345-million-richer-this-week/1#.ULe4X2eCzhE
Ford. (n.d). A Word About Diversity and Inclusion from CEO Alan Mulally. Retrieved from http://corporate.ford.com/careers/diversity/mulally-diversity-message-626p?&ccode=KE
Reed, T. (2012). 6 Leadership Tips From Ford CEO Alan Mulally. Retrieved from http://www.thestreet.com/story/11480044/1/6-leadership-tips-from-ford-ceo-alan-mulally.html