code: Translating from one system of values to another system.
Electricity
The Binary System: a system where the only two numbers available are 0 and 1. Every operation that we can do in decimal, with 10 digits, we can also do in binary.
The Transistor: A switch controlled by electricity.
Two giants for computer science:
George Boole (1779-1848): logic expression = boolean expression. Logic: creating formulas where variables are combined by operators. The variables are boolean variables, the operators are logic operators. Any formula can be represented with a combination of just three operators: AND, OR, and NOT.
Reading
Primary:
Video (Part 2) on George Boole and Boolean Algebra. (5.18 min)
Claude Shannon (1916-2001): writes a Master's thesis at MIT in 1948, which states that any binary numerical computation can be performed using logic expressions and logic operators. "The whole digital revolution started with [Shannon]"[1]
You will find Wikipedia's description of the processor interesting. Concentrate mostly on the sections labeled Microprocessor, Operation, and Clock Rate.
And if you think the idea of the singularity is interesting and want to see how somebody pushes the idea even farther, watch this TED talk by Susan Blackmore!
References
↑Bell Labs digital guru dead at 84 — Pioneer scientist led high-tech revolution (The Star-Ledger, obituary by Kevin Coughlin 27 February 2001)
