His classical-minded tutors criticized his 'slipshod, dirty work' in school reports, constantly failing him and warning that he was unfit for ordinary education. Like all geniuses, Alan was sorely underappreciated at school. When his father permanently retired from the Indian Civil Service in 1926, Alan finally found stability at home, and his raw curiosity bought him a place at a private boy's school in Sherbourne. Some downplay his sexuality, others ignore it outright, and only a handful recognize that Alan Turing's achievements are as much down to his early romantic experiences as they are to his intellectual prowess.īorn in 1912 to parents Ethel and Julius, Alan quickly showed signs of the genius he was to become, despite the stifling, reactionary conditions surrounding his early years (due to his parents' commitments in the British Raj, both he and his brother spent time in the care of a retired Colonel). But many of these accounts fail on a number of fronts. You can read biographies, watch films, and browse entire websites dedicated to the man dubbed 'the father of artificial intelligence'. There are a myriad of accounts about Alan Turing's life. 'We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.'
