The Great Formal Machinery Works: Theories of Deduction and Computation at the Origins of the Digital Age

Jan von Plato, 2017

Overview

The digital age's origins lie in the theoretical study of logic and the foundations of mathematics. This work traces the history of deduction and computation theories that established the logical groundwork for the digital revolution. It examines key figures like Aristotle, Hermann Grassmann, George Boole, Ernst Schröder, and Giuseppe Peano, detailing the emergence of formal proof and computation in the late 19th century. A pivotal moment was Kurt Gödel's 1930 incompleteness theorems, which significantly advanced the study of formal languages and computability, culminating in precise theories by the late 1930s. The book also covers the early theoretical concepts of computers developed by Alan Turing and John von Neumann.

Who it's for

• Students and researchers in logic
• Students and researchers in mathematics
• Students and researchers in computer science

Key features

• Hardcover binding
• 392 pages
• Published by Wiley
• ISBN: 9780691174174
• Published in 2017