Around 1900 a lot of mathematicians and philosophers were researching the connection between logic and mathematics. And there still in the background there was Leibniz's Dream:
a machine that would contain all knowledge of its time and a set of rules, so that it could answer every question.
George Boole (1815 - 1864) made the first step in the right direction by introducing proposition logic which works with propositions and two values: 1 means TRUE and 0 means false.
Thus you could calculate with real statements: p = "the sun is shining" and q = "it is raining". Behind me, you see a so-called truth table, which shows you the answer under what condition p AND q and p OR q are true.
If you look at the other picture of circuit diagrams that represent computer chips, you see the same Boolean rules. In his days he was far away from understanding such diagrams, but yet he led the way.
There was one missing part in this proposition logic. You can say "John is happy" and "Everybody is happy", but in proposition logic, both statements are represented by, for instance, p.
Important information gets lost: the number of people that are happy. This problem was solved by Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege (1848 – 1925). He was a German philosopher, logician, and mathematician.
He was a mathematics professor at the University of Jena and is understood by many to be the father of analytic philosophy, concentrating on the philosophy of language, logic, and mathematics.
Frege is widely considered to be the greatest logician since Aristotle, and one of the most profound philosophers of mathematics ever.
He invented axiomatic predicate logic, in large part thanks to his invention of quantified variables, which eventually became ubiquitous in mathematics and logic
I'll save you all the technicalities. The main point was that with the symbolism Frege developed it was possible to formalize statements that used quantifiers like "All" or "Some".
What is characteristic of that period in history is the search for algorithms, that could solve problems, so that you could generate knowledge that was independent of human emotions and biases.
Not yet computers, but definitely mechanical calculators were a first proof of the mechanization of thinking. The work of the mathematician Charles Babbage (1791 - 1871) is a great example.
Babbage is considered by some to be "the father of the computer". He is credited with inventing the first mechanical computer, the Difference Engine, which eventually led to more complex electronic designs,
though all the essential ideas of modern computers are to be found in Babbage's Analytical Engine, programmed using a principle openly borrowed from the Jacquard loom (weefgetouw).
A name that should be mentioned here too is Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (1815 – 1852). She was an English mathematician and writer, chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine.
She was the first to recognize that the machine had applications beyond pure calculation. In retrospect, you could say that she was in fact the first computer programmer ever.
As you see we come closer and closer to algorithms, which can be implemented in machines, or in other words, homo sapiens has dreamt of mechanizing his thinking and reasoning and these are his first steps in that direction.
Thank you for your attention again...
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
24 - Materialism 7 Sept 2022 / 1011
25 - Historical Materialism 5 Oct 2023 / 1088
26 - The Bonobo and the Atheist 9 Jan 2024 / 1102
27 - Artificial Intelligence 9 Feb 2024 / 1108
The Discussion
[13:14] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:14] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman
[13:14] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well this is indeed the base of also modern computers
[13:15] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): amazing how far back it goes
[13:15] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): what has a Jacquard Loom to do with a programme?
[13:15] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and that machine looks like a first computer
[13:15] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): jaquards loom was the worlds first programmable machine
[13:15] herman Bergson: Yes Gemma...in fact back to the 17th century....
[13:15] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): usung punch cards
[13:15] Max Chatnoir: The patterns were programmed into the lom
[13:15] Max Chatnoir: loom
[13:15] herman Bergson: Indeed Bejiita
[13:16] herman Bergson: Mechanizing thought processes....
[13:16] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): ok thank you
[13:16] herman Bergson: we always have worked on it it seems
[13:16] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): jaquard had as a kid worked as a so called drawboy with a so called draw loom for weaving intricate silk patterns, he had hated it so much he did all he could to mechanize the process
[13:16] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i used punch cards in a telex machine
[13:17] herman Bergson: yes Beertje, that is what the loom used too
[13:17] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): well humans do like order
[13:17] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and this is another way of havinng it
[13:17] herman Bergson: We like order, we like patterns
[13:18] herman Bergson: Makes our world controllable
[13:18] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:18] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loom#/media/File:高機模様裂-Textile_fragment_with_incomplete_repeating_pattern_of_loom,_weaver,_and_drawboy_MET_DP11389.jpg
[13:19] herman Bergson: I must admit that I love this historical background of computers :-)
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): here is a really bad image of a drawloom but basically you had a kid crammed on top following instructions to rais individual threads, was terrible kids labour
[13:19] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it is interesting yes
[13:19] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): how did those "Computers"work without electricity?
[13:19] herman Bergson: It puts our current computers in a completely different perspective
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): he replaced the kid with a punch card mechanism
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): = the jaquard loom
[13:20] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): turned with a handle
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:20] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): amazing how it worked
[13:20] Max Chatnoir: Thanks, Bejiita! A woven history of weaving
[13:20] herman Bergson: Look at the photo Beertje....huge handle left and right which you have to turn...
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i wish i could create thigns like that
[13:20] herman Bergson: electricity then was just man power :-)
[13:21] herman Bergson: It was still physical and mechanical power
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i have seen a little how u make punch cards for such looms. Well i can say programming my 3D printer with CAD/CAM software is little a bit easier
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:22] Max Chatnoir: Drawboy perch looks a little scary!
[13:22] herman Bergson: We are past the mechanical age...all is based on electricity now
[13:22] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well the loom basically works bu pins falling into or staying up depending on the hole in the hard and this raising and lower the individual warp threads
[13:22] herman Bergson: Who is Drawboy, Max? :-)
[13:23] Max Chatnoir: He's up on the second level, I think.
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): jaquard machines are still around the only difference is you use computer controlled solenoids and 3 phase motors
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and DAMn they can be fast!
[13:23] herman Bergson: No Drawboy here nearby, at least :-)
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): there are lots of computer museums in the world now
[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:25] herman Bergson: It is only another 100 years to go to get to real Artificial Intelligence :-)
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): there are some in the Netherlands
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and sweden there is one
[13:25] bergfrau Apfelbaum: we had a commodore 64 :-) 1983
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa found, here is how fast looms (or weaving machines as they are called today) are today!
[13:25] herman Bergson: I am a museum piece myself, I guess :-)
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): good luck for a draw boy to keep up with those
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): idk if they are jaquard machined but they are VERY fast at least
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncuJyEm766U
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa the link also!
[13:26] herman Bergson: I remember teaching at the Fine Art Academy.....introducing Photoshop 1.0 in 1993 :-)
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but indeed amazing how this paved way for the modern computer
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but both that loom and a computer makes use of digital logic
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): also speaking of Ada, there is a programming language named after her, it is moslty used in things like the space shuttle program and general areospace industry because as i get it Ada program basically cant crash
[13:28] herman Bergson: Now I have the 2018 version on my computer.....wondering how long it will be kept alive by the OS :-)
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: Wow
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I have looked at it a bit but never trid making anything with it, its to nished
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm photoshop is a classic
[13:29] herman Bergson: It is....
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i would never pay for it
[13:29] herman Bergson: I never did Gemma :-)
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ahha
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): today everything is turned into subscriptions sadly so you have to pay and pay and pay or program stops working, you now rent the software
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): schools did
[13:30] herman Bergson: My students hacked everything in those days
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): did you teach them how?
[13:30] Max Chatnoir: Yes, how did you use it, Herman?
[13:30] bergfrau Apfelbaum: lol
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): also the CEO of Unisoft said recently, soon everyone will be used to not owning their games! It became a huge scandal
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): similar to Unity
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Ubisoft
[13:30] herman Bergson: Yes that subscription system is the idea of the century of those computer proram makers
[13:31] herman Bergson: But use GIMP....100% Photoshop look alike...completely free
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I use open source software like Krita instead. Tried that one Herman, its awesome, i make all 2d art on it
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): for game UIs ect
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i tried gimp but I dont get it
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:32] Max Chatnoir: I use whatever is on Windows
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): had classes but failed
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Krita is better i say
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but Gimp is more for photo editing
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): krita more for art creation
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): not realy can build with gimp
[13:32] herman Bergson: I taught computer classes, teaching the students to use a lot of oprograms, Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, #D Modeling....etc
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): https://krita.org/en/
[13:33] Max Chatnoir: Paint
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i followed directions but dont get it at all
[13:33] herman Bergson: Lol...oh yes...in 1986 we started with MacPaint....oh and PageMaker
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): what is so great with Krita is its brush engine, u can make soo many different brushes and it already have loads of them from start
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): gave up on all those things
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): tried Blender too
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): sigh
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa that I use for all 3D work
[13:34] herman Bergson: Blender is wonderful but hard to learn
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): comlete failure
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): wont even try anymore
[13:34] Max Chatnoir: Yes, I didn't get Blender.
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): sigh
[13:34] Max Chatnoir: I should try again, now that I'm retired.
[13:34] herman Bergson: Dont feel ashamed Gemma...the program is soooooo complex indeed
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): idk how it stands against say Maya UI wise now but indeed the UI of blender have not been up to it in comparison but now got huge improvement
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and some in sl use it like it was a crayon!!!
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): amazing
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): all the creators
[13:35] herman Bergson: Oh yes...all the buildings here I have made in Blender
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:35] Max Chatnoir: You made the buildings in Blender? Wow!
[13:35] herman Bergson: saved me tons of prims
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): did it save prims???
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): oh nice
[13:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaaa ok ㋡
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): good on that
[13:36] Max Chatnoir: including this, where we are now?
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yes
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I use it to make all stuff that i then throw into game engines like Unity and Unreal 5
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Max you should see his Notre Dame
[13:36] herman Bergson: Beertje and I have worked together for more than a year with Blender....making clothes and objects
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it is amazing!!!!!!
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): then i ad a ton of code and logic (including boolean one) and gove everything life
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): give
[13:37] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): id need to learn making characters a bit more
[13:37] Max Chatnoir: Where is Notre Dame? In SL.
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it is not
[13:37] herman Bergson: In my inventory, Max :-)
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): sadly
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:37] Max Chatnoir: Oh, sad!
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yes
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it is so realistic
[13:38] Max Chatnoir: When did you have it up? for one of the SL birthdays?
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): wont fit i think
[13:38] Max Chatnoir: Wow! That is a great story!
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): have not heard anything about Notredames restoration since Covid hit and all work stopped though
[13:39] herman Bergson: I'll chech how many prims it has....maybe I can set the Notre Dame up here now....I have some prim space atm
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it was like 900 i think when you were going to rezz it on yosemite
[13:39] herman Bergson: Well we are off topic far enough to close our debate :-))))
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): before she closed it
[13:40] Max Chatnoir: Talk to Madori Linden. She has set aside some sims for various education projects. You might get space to put it back up.
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): over 900 prims
[13:40] herman Bergson: So...thank you all again....
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:40] herman Bergson: Class dismissed :-)
[13:40] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman
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