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ysabetwordsmithThis is today's freebie. It was inspired by a prompt from siberian_skys. It also fills the "I can't do this anymore" square in my 10-1-21 card for the Fall Festival Bingo.
"The People No One Can Imagine Anything Of"
Alan Turing was an English polymath
whose accomplishments spanned the fields
of mathematics, computer science, and biology.
During World War II, he worked on codes
and cryptanalysis, breaking German ciphers.
He laid the groundwork for computer science
and the study of artificial intelligence,
including the famous Turing Test.
During his own life, he was never
really appreciated for it, because
so much of his work was secret.
More than that, though, people
dismissed him for being homosexual,
and indeed, dismissed the idea that
anyone homosexual could possibly
accomplish anything of worth.
They were all attacked by those
with more power than sense.
More than anything else, it
was this that wore him down.
He wrote about his fears
that people would argue:
Turing believes machines think.
Turing lies with men.
Therefore machines do not think.
No matter what he accomplished,
other people could make it do
more harm than good just by
dismissing it on those grounds.
His death was ruled as suicide,
though it could have been an accident
or quite possibly murder by the state.
It is not unreasonable to imagine
that someone in his position
might come to decide,
I can't do this anymore.
Alan Turing observed,
Sometimes it is the people
no one can imagine anything of
who do the things no one can imagine.
For the loss of his unique insights,
we're still trying to catch up.
* * *
Notes:
"Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine."
-- Alan Turing
“I'm afraid that the following syllogism may be used by some in the future.
Turing believes machines think
Turing lies with men
Therefore machines do not think
Yours in distress,
Alan"
-- Alan Turing
Alan Turing's death was ruled a suicide after no real investigation, but it could have been an accident or a murder.
siberian_skys. It also fills the "I can't do this anymore" square in my 10-1-21 card for the Fall Festival Bingo."The People No One Can Imagine Anything Of"
Alan Turing was an English polymath
whose accomplishments spanned the fields
of mathematics, computer science, and biology.
During World War II, he worked on codes
and cryptanalysis, breaking German ciphers.
He laid the groundwork for computer science
and the study of artificial intelligence,
including the famous Turing Test.
During his own life, he was never
really appreciated for it, because
so much of his work was secret.
More than that, though, people
dismissed him for being homosexual,
and indeed, dismissed the idea that
anyone homosexual could possibly
accomplish anything of worth.
They were all attacked by those
with more power than sense.
More than anything else, it
was this that wore him down.
He wrote about his fears
that people would argue:
Turing believes machines think.
Turing lies with men.
Therefore machines do not think.
No matter what he accomplished,
other people could make it do
more harm than good just by
dismissing it on those grounds.
His death was ruled as suicide,
though it could have been an accident
or quite possibly murder by the state.
It is not unreasonable to imagine
that someone in his position
might come to decide,
I can't do this anymore.
Alan Turing observed,
Sometimes it is the people
no one can imagine anything of
who do the things no one can imagine.
For the loss of his unique insights,
we're still trying to catch up.
* * *
Notes:
"Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine."
-- Alan Turing
“I'm afraid that the following syllogism may be used by some in the future.
Turing believes machines think
Turing lies with men
Therefore machines do not think
Yours in distress,
Alan"
-- Alan Turing
Alan Turing's death was ruled a suicide after no real investigation, but it could have been an accident or a murder.
Murder and prevention
Date: 2021-10-05 07:50 pm (UTC)This is why we have science fiction and fantasy. To expand our sphere of empathy and make sure that shit never happens again.
(Professor Ada Palmer is a (what's-now-called-the-)Astounding award-winning, Hugo-nominated writer and Pegasus-nominated filker who also happens to be a history professor at UChicago... she's bloody brilliant six ways from Sunday, and if we ever get to have RainbowCon again, she will be singing in my space... )
Re: Murder and prevention
Date: 2021-10-05 08:32 pm (UTC)Re: Murder and prevention
Date: 2021-10-05 08:37 pm (UTC)Re: Murder and prevention
Date: 2021-10-05 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2021-10-06 10:14 am (UTC)Yes ...
Date: 2021-10-06 10:52 am (UTC)Likely so.
>> And it's fairly clear that societal acceptance of homosexuality and the achievements of gay people is partly due to the interchange of ideas made possible by the internet. <<
Actually, I think we owe a lot to Kirk/Spock fanfic. It was the first really huge slash pairing, and while activists got attention, it was fanfic that changed from "the love that dare not speak its name" to "Oh, they'e so CUTE!"
Re: Yes ...
Date: 2021-10-07 03:18 am (UTC)