Symbol in Alan Turing's On Computable Numbers

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SUMMARY

In Alan Turing's seminal work "On Computable Numbers," he utilizes a shorthand notation represented by the symbol "§" to refer to specific sections of his text, specifically sections 9 and 10. This notation is a standard way to cite sections within a document. The discussion clarifies that the symbols are not arbitrary but serve a clear purpose in guiding readers to relevant arguments within the same work. Understanding this notation is essential for comprehending Turing's references throughout the paper.

PREREQUISITES
  • Familiarity with Alan Turing's "On Computable Numbers"
  • Understanding of citation practices in academic writing
  • Knowledge of the section sign symbol "§"
  • Basic comprehension of computability theory
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the significance of the section sign "§" in academic texts
  • Explore the arguments presented in sections 9 and 10 of Turing's work
  • Study the historical context of Turing's contributions to computability theory
  • Examine other citation methods used in mathematical and philosophical literature
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Students, researchers, and scholars in computer science, mathematics, and philosophy who are studying Turing's work and its implications in the field of computability.

Bluskyz
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In Alan Turing's On Computable Numbers, he explains in his second paragraph the general notion of computable numbers. In doing so, he writes "In [symbol][symbol] 9, 10 I give some arguments...". I will include a screenshot of these symbols in this post. Do any of you know what these symbols mean? I guessing they are just some way of citing his paper "9, 10" which I also have no idea of. He uses this notation throughout the paper so if you happen to know the papers he is referring to, please enlighten me. Thank you.
 

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He's just saying (in shorthand notation) "In sections 9 and 10 I give some arguments..." Presumably these are sections of the same book, unless he refers explicitly to a different book.
 

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