09.22.09

here’s a toast to Alan Turing

Posted in history, politics at 10:59 pm by rachel

Regarding the British government’s apology to Alan Turing, a poem by Matt Harvey.

here’s a toast to Alan Turing
born in harsher, darker times
who thought outside the container
and loved outside the lines
and so the code-breaker was broken
and we’re sorry
yes now the s-word has been spoken
the official conscience woken
– very carefully scripted but at least it’s not encrypted –
and the story does suggest
a part 2 to the Turing Test:
1. can machines behave like humans?
2. can we?

Thank you to my blockmate Jeremy for sending it to me.

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