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What is a Computation?

In: Mathematics Today Twelve Informal Essays

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  • Martin Davis

Abstract

On numerous occasions during the Second World War, members of the German high command had reason to believe that the allies knew the contents of some of their most secret communications. Naturally, the Nazi leadership was most eager to locate and eliminate this dangerous leak. They were convinced that the problem was one of treachery. The one thing they did not suspect was the simple truth: the British were able to systematically decipher their secret codes. These codes were based on a special machine, the “Enigma,” which the German experts were convinced produced coded messages that were entirely secure. In fact, a young English mathematician, Alan Turing, had designed a special machine for the purpose of decoding messages enciphered using the Enigma. This is not the appropriate place to speculate on the extent to which the course of history might have been different without Turing’s ingenious device, but it can hardly be doubted that it played an extremely important role.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Davis, 1978. "What is a Computation?," Springer Books, in: Lynn Arthur Steen (ed.), Mathematics Today Twelve Informal Essays, pages 241-267, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-1-4613-9435-8_10
    DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4613-9435-8_10
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