The inquisitive minds of mankind have been thinking about the creation of calculating mechanisms since ancient times. The modern computer, which today is found in almost every apartment, can be rightfully considered the result of these efforts. John McCarthy has done his part.
Childhood
Science fiction writers invented robots a long time ago. And they not only invented, but also described in detail the abilities of these machines, which are created by human hands. However, the realization of these fantasies in everyday life is very slow. John McCarthy began to create real projects in this branch of knowledge in the middle of the twentieth century. By that time, powerful electronic computers were already being produced in civilized countries, which, with some degree of simplification, can be called prototypes of industrial robots.
The future creator of artificial intelligence was born on September 4, 1927 in an immigrant family. Parents at that time lived in the famous city of Boston. His father, a native of Ireland, was actively involved in the trade union movement. Mother, Jewish from Lithuania, worked as a journalist in one of the city newspapers. When the Great Depression broke out all over the world, including the United States, parents had to travel around the country for some time in search of decent living conditions. Los Angeles turned out to be such a place.
Here John went to school. It is interesting to note that the boy learned to read early. He was attracted by technical books and magazine articles. When he got his hands on the manual for the Singer sewing machine, he quickly figured out the device and understood how it works. Already in elementary school, McCarthy showed amazing ability for mathematics. He was not even ten years old when he announced to his relatives that he would definitely become a scientist. The adults were smart and tactful enough to take this statement seriously.
McCarthy, as a schoolboy, regularly visited the library of the California Institute of Technology. Here he looked through bulletins and other technical periodicals. He entered the same educational institution after leaving school. Having received a student card, John passed exams and tests for the first two years as an external student, and he was transferred immediately to the third year. In 1948 he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics. And three years later, a master's degree. By this time, he was able to publish several thematic articles in prestigious scientific journals.
Scientific activity
Having received a specialized education, John McCarthy, with his characteristic energy, took up the implementation of his ideas. In the early 1950s, the scientific community faced two urgent problems. First, the cumbersome access system hindered the efficient use of the computer's capabilities. The programmer had to spend an unreasonable amount of time to enter the initial data into the processor. Secondly, programming languages were also far from perfect. The young scientist made great efforts to bring together a conference, which was attended by all the leading experts in the field of programming and artificial intelligence.
It is important to emphasize that it was John McCarthy who introduced the term "artificial intelligence" into the practice of scientific communication. This happened in 1956 at one of the symposia on the development of computational methods. By this time, a new programming language for working with lists was being tested, which was called LISP. Later it served as a platform for creating a family of programming languages. Algol has been used for a long time in solving problems with large amounts of data. Fortran was created specifically for solving mathematical problems using complex formulas.
The career of a scientist was developing successfully. In 1962, McCarthy transferred to Stanford University. Here the professor lectured to students and acted as an expert in the development of new projects. In addition, he worked a lot on the creation of an algorithm for the functioning of large databases. Many of the elements and approaches that John came up with are used in computer systems today. At the same time, he does not leave his main occupation in the formation of the basic elements of artificial intelligence.
Successes and achievements
The work of John McCarthy was appreciated by his colleagues and the scientific community as a whole. The Turing Prize, the most prestigious award for achievements in the development of computer science, was received by the professor in 1971. In the biography of the scientist, it is noted that until his old age he retained a sharpness of mind and good spirits. In 1985 he was awarded the "Computer Pioneer" award. It is interesting to note that this distinction and monetary component is awarded for contributions made more than 15 years ago.
The Kyoto Prize, established and awarded by the Japanese Ceramic Company, is internationally recognized for the development of computing technology. This company does not make bricks or porcelain, but silicon substrates for integrated circuits. Also in the collection of John McCarthy are the US National Science Medal and the Benjamin Franklin Medal.
Personal interests
John McCarthy devoted most of his earthly life to scientific research. Little is known about the scientist's personal life. In his younger years, he tried to start a family, but the marriage turned out to be fragile. The husband and wife broke up after two years. On days free from laboratory research, John went in for hiking, parachuting and even received a pilot's license.
John McCarthy passed away in October 2001 at the eighty-fifth year of life.
