Projects and Assignments in Pure Mathematics

The Church-Turing Thesis

This project requires a basic knowledge of computability theory, such as derivable from MATH3163: Computability and Unsolvability, or the book 'Computability Theory' by S. Barry Cooper. It will appeal to those interested in general questions of what is computable, and in issues of computability in the physical world. The student will need an ability to think independently and grapple with philosophical questions. The student should describe various computational models, and discuss the potential for computation beyond what these models are thought to achieve.

Prerequisites: MATH 3163 Computability and Unsolvability

Books

S. Barry Cooper: Computability Theory, Chapman & Hall, 2004
Christof Teuscher (ed.): Alan Turing - Life and Legacy of a Great Thinker, Springer, 2004
Roger Penrose: The Emperor's New Mind - Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics, Vintage/Oxford University Press, 1989

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