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Abstract:
The notion of computation, upon which the whole research
paradigm called computationalism is built, is undoubtedly one of
the central notions of this century. Its history traces back to
Leibniz and before, when daring philosophers pondered mechanical
systems that could not only aid humans in performing calculations,
but also, quite possible, calculate by themselves without any human
assistance. While many attempts were made at building mechanical
calculators up to the end of the 19th century, many of which were
successful, they approached computation solely from an empirical
angle. It was only in this century that the notion of computation
made a gigantic leap forward, mainly because of two independent
developments: 1) the thorough logical analysis of the notions
formal system and demonstrability (i.e., proof by finite means) of
formulas in that system, and 2) the rapid progression in the
engineering of electronic components (from vacuum tubes, to
transistors, to integrated circuits, and beyond).
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