Week2
Prompt:
Comparing at least two specific historical contexts, discuss how the meaning, tools, and uses of calculation can differ in the history of science.
Response: (311 words)
In the history of science, the meaning of computation and the use of tools have changed in response to technological advances and changing societal needs, and these changes reflect not only innovations in computational technology, but also shifts in the way that humans explore and apply knowledge. The twentieth century, an iconic period of technological revolution. In particular, the contributions of Alan Turing, who not only redefined the boundaries of computer science, but also demonstrated the centrality of computing in modern scientific research. Next, I will explore how Turing’s work during World War II highlighted the importance of computing in science, technology, and military strategy. During World War II, Germany used Enigma to secure German communications so that the Allies could not know the future strategy of the German armys.( Black, Jeremy, 2003). The invention of the bombe by Alan Turing and his team at Bletchley Park in England, a device that could decipher German encrypted communications through extensive computation, dramatically shortening the time it took for the German army to communicate with the Germans. (Barry Cooper and J. van Leeuwen, 2013) This device was able to decipher German encrypted communications through a large number of calculations, which greatly shortened the time in the European theater of operations, and his contribution directly contributed to the development of the modern electronic computer. In ancient Greece, computation was given a high philosophical significance, especially in mathematics, and Mitchell, Charles E. describes the use of counting boards for basic calculations in ancient Greece. For example, in the prosperous ancient Greek society, counting boards were used to quickly calculate prices, taxes. And they used rulers to draw diagrams and build the foundations of geometric theory. Ancient Greek astronomers such as Hipparchus and Ptolemy used geometric and arithmetic models to predict celestial events such as eclipses of the sun, moon, and the positions of the planets.
Reference:
Cooper, S. B. & van Leeuwen, J. (2013) Alan Turing: His Work and Impact. 1st edition. [Online]. San Diego: Elsevier Science.Mitchell, C.E. (1986). Astronomy, Geometry, and the
Ancient Greeks. The Arithmetic Teacher, 33(9), pp. 39-41.
Black, Jeremy. (2003) World war two / Jeremy Black. [Online]. New York: Routledge.
