Turing

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Our hero is Turing, an interactive tutoring program inspired by Alan Turing, the World War II code breaker and father of computer science. This unusual novel intertwines Turing's unique take on intellectual history from a computational perspective with a love story involving Ethel, a successful computer executive; Alexandros, a melancholic archaeologist; and Ian, a charismatic hacker. After Ethel leaves Alexandros following a sun-soaked retreat in Corfu, Turing appears on Alexandros's computer to deliver a tutorial on the history of ideas. He starts with ancient Greek philosopher-mathematicians, asserting that "discourse, dialogue, argument, proof...can only thrive in an egalitarian society," and continues with the ninth-century Arab scholar who invented algorithms. His lessons span various topics, including cryptography, artificial intelligence, economics, and developmental biology, which are later humorously critiqued in a fictional newsgroup in the afterword. As Turing's lectures unfold, the lives of Alexandros, Ethel, and Ian intersect dramatically, taking the narrative from Corfu to Hong Kong, Athens, San Francisco, and the Internet, the disruptive force that emerges as a central character. This novel, both pedagogical and romantic, appeals to students, professionals, and general readers who enjoy novels of ideas.