Simply Turing

The mathematician who helped invent the modern computer.

Alan Turing asked questions that now sit at the heart of the digital world: What can a machine calculate? Can a machine think? And what are the limits of computation? In Simply Turing, mathematician Michael Olinick offers an accessible introduction to the life and ideas of one of the twentieth century’s most remarkable thinkers. Olinick explores Turing’s groundbreaking work in mathematics and computer science, including the concept of the Turing machine and his influential work on artificial intelligence. He also tells the story of Turing’s crucial role in breaking German military codes during World War II and examines the personal struggles he faced in a society that criminalized his homosexuality. From theoretical mathematics to the practical problems of wartime codebreaking, Turing’s work helped lay the foundations of modern computing. His ideas also anticipated many of today’s debates about artificial intelligence and what it means for a machine to be intelligent.

• An accessible introduction to Alan Turing’s life and achievements
• Explains Turing machines, computability, and the foundations of computer science
• Explores Turing’s crucial contribution to Allied codebreaking during World War II
• Examines his ideas about artificial intelligence and machine intelligence
• Places Turing’s work within the development of modern mathematics and computing
• Considers the discrimination and persecution he faced because of his sexuality

Available in multiple formats:

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Audiobook — Professionally narrated, complete and unabridged. Available on Audible, Spotify, Apple Books.

Alan Turing’s work helped create the intellectual foundations of the computer age, yet his story is also one of extraordinary talent, wartime courage, and profound injustice. Simply Turing makes his ideas approachable while showing why his questions about computation and intelligence remain as important as ever.

About the Author

Michael Olinick is a mathematician and educator whose work spans mathematics, logic, and the history and development of mathematical ideas. He has written and taught extensively for readers seeking to understand complex mathematical concepts without unnecessary technical barriers. In Simply Turing, Olinick introduces the life and work of Alan Turing, connecting his mathematical achievements with the development of computing and the larger questions about intelligence that continue to surround his legacy.