Why Turing Machines are important

Thread starter pierce15
Start date Sep 8, 2013
Tags

Important Machines Turing

In summary, Turing Machines are considered the basis of modern computing because they were the first theoretical model of a general-purpose computer and introduced the concept of a programmable machine. They also relate to the concept of computability and contribute to the development of artificial intelligence. The Church-Turing thesis states that any function computable by a human can also be computed by a Turing Machine, making them not only important in theoretical computer science but also in practical applications. One example of a problem that can be solved by a Turing Machine is the halting problem.

Sep 8, 2013

pierce15

Can someone explain to me, one with extremely limited knowledge of the concept of Turing Machines, what these hypothetical machines help us understand or accomplish in computer science?

Technology news on Phys.org

Sep 9, 2013

Greg Bernhardt

Admin

Insights Author

Here is an interesting piece from the MIT review
http://www.technologyreview.com/review/426834/turings-enduring-importance/

1. Why are Turing Machines considered the basis of modern computing?

Turing Machines are considered the basis of modern computing because they were the first theoretical model of a general-purpose computer. They introduced the concept of a programmable machine that could perform a wide range of tasks by following a set of instructions, which is the fundamental principle behind all modern computers.

2. How do Turing Machines relate to the concept of computability?

Turing Machines are important because they helped establish the concept of computability, which is the ability for a problem to be solved by a computer. Alan Turing's work on the Universal Turing Machine showed that any computable problem could be solved by a Turing Machine, making it a powerful tool for studying computability and the limits of what can be computed.

3. What is the significance of the Church-Turing thesis in relation to Turing Machines?

The Church-Turing thesis states that any function that is computable by a human being using an algorithmic method can also be computed by a Turing Machine. This means that Turing Machines are not only important for theoretical computer science, but also have practical applications in solving real-world problems.

4. How do Turing Machines contribute to the development of artificial intelligence?

Turing Machines played a crucial role in the development of artificial intelligence by providing a theoretical framework for understanding the limits of what can be computed. This helped researchers to identify the tasks that could be automated and those that require human intelligence, leading to the development of intelligent machines and systems.

5. Can you give an example of a problem that can be solved by a Turing Machine?

One example of a problem that can be solved by a Turing Machine is the halting problem, which asks whether a given program will eventually stop or continue running forever. Turing Machines can be used to simulate the execution of a program and determine if it will halt, making it a useful tool for analyzing and understanding the behavior of computer programs.