Manila, Philippines, October 17, 2011 – As part of the global effort spearheaded by the Turing Centenary Advisory Committee in celebrating the Alan Turing Year, De La Salle University-Manila's Department of Philosophy will be organizing a week-long event to commemorate the centenary birth anniversary of Alan Turing, who is considered by many as the father of computer science. Dubbed "Turing 2012," the event will be held from March 26 to 30, 2012 at the university's campus grounds. The event's highlight will be a two-day international conference on Turing's significant contributions in both the academe and today's society.
Turing was an English mathematician, logician, and computer scientist who is famous for his idea of Turing machines, which is considered by many as the blueprint of the modern digital computer. In addition, he influenced a number research areas such as cognitive science including the philosophy of mind, psychology, and artificial intelligence, to name a few.
Born in 1912, Turing's centenary birth anniversary is next year. In this light, the Turing Centenary Advisory Committee, which is an organization headed by honorary president Sir John Dermot Turing, chair S Barry Cooper, and Turing biographer Andrew Hodges, has been coordinating the different Turing-related events worldwide in preparation for the Alan Turing Year, a celebration of Turing's life and scientific influence.
As part of its drive to further establish itself as an institution that takes initiatives to offer the public with the best possible means to get acquainted with the world's greatest thinkers, the Department of Philosophy is also hosting an event to recognize Turing's contributions. Under the theme: The life and works of Alan Turing, the five-day event at De La Salle University-Manila will feature a number of activities such as lectures, exhibits, and contests, among others.
"We want everyone to understand the value of Turing's great ideas, and how these have greatly influenced our lives today. In addition to his pivotal role in ending the Second World War, Turing provided the theoretical model that became the basis for the construction of the computers that we have today,” said Turing 2012 advisor Napoleon Mabaquiao, Jr., who also acts as chair of the Department of Philosophy at De La Salle University-Manila. "We think that it's only appropriate to hold a week-long celebration to commemorate a man whose accomplishments have greatly benefited mankind, but was not given the recognition he so deserved during his lifetime.”
Turing 2012, which is presented in cooperation with the College of Computer Studies, will also be highlighted by an international conference scheduled from March 27 to 28, 2012. The conference focuses on the research fields Turing has influenced such as artificial intelligence, philosophy, computer science, mathematics, gender studies, biology, psychology, theories of computing, and international relations.
The two-day Turing summit will feature notable experts from different academic fields and institutions. It will consist of plenary lectures and breakout sessions delivered by local and international speakers. Among the confirmed speakers for the conference include David Chalmers, Australian National University; Mette Kristine Hansen, University of Bergen; Arnulfo Azcarraga, De La Salle University-Manila, and Catherine Pelachaud, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.
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About the departmentThe Department of Philosophy at De La Salle University-Manila stirs the intellectual curiosity of its students by providing them with the tools for critical analysis. The department's course program gives students a balanced view of both nature and the human being, and its curriculum provides students with a unique chance of designing their own program upon completion of the basic courses.Media contactLandline: 632.524.4611 loc. 546
Email: dlsu.philosophy@gmail.com 
