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The Turing Test 2016


Alan Turing is considered the father of modern computational science; mankind owing an immeasurable debt of gratitude to a truly great, but deeply troubled soul.

His pioneering work on mathematical theories ultimately led to the cracking of the Nazi Enigma Machine code, yet his life ended in lonely tragedy with his apparent suicide - a victim of intolerance and ignorance of his homosexuality.

Simon Dobson’s work, although non-programmatic, seeks to detail something of the emotion and colour of Turing’s life; from his imaginative explorations into bio-digital life forms (AI) and his entry into the scientific community, to his ever more complex solutions to ever more deadly war time problems.

His 1952 arrest leading to the choice between imprisonment or the unbearable punishment of chemical castration (which he chose) so that could continue his work, is explored in sombre reflection.

The last section tells of his eventual posthumous pardon and the sense of chaotic sadness rather than triumph that one of the greatest minds had been treated with such abject cruelty at a time when his own work was on the verge of reaching a remarkable resolution for the benefit of all mankind.

Composer: Simon Dobson
Type: Test Piece


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