This score is structured around a series of logical propositions and mathematical sequences, which are transformed into musical notation. This transmutation of abstract, conceptual thought into the realm of sound invites a reevaluation of the very essence of communication and understanding, echoing Quine's contention that the meaning of any utterance or symbol is inherently tied to its empirical and contextual usage.
The baritone voice, in this context, serves as both the medium and the message—a vehicle for conveying Turing's groundbreaking ideas and a symbolic representation of Turing himself. Through this vocal embodiment, "Turing" engages with Quine's thesis on the indeterminacy of translation, illustrating the challenges inherent in translating complex ideas from one domain (mathematics and logic) into another (musical notation and performance). This process is fraught with ambiguities and interpretative freedoms, yet it is precisely in these spaces of uncertainty that the score for "Turing" finds its expressive power.
The score delves into the recursive nature of logic and mathematical sequences, employing these as motifs that recur and evolve throughout the composition. This recursive structure mirrors the logical systems that Turing himself developed, serving as a musical analogue to Turing's computational theories. The score, therefore, can be seen as a kind of ontological inquiry, probing the relationships between symbols, their referents, and the systems of thought that underpin them.
In translating Turing's abstract concepts into the concrete form of a musical score, I confront the Quinean dilemma of ontological relativity—the idea that our understanding of the world, and the language we use to describe it, is always mediated by our conceptual framework. "Turing" thus becomes a reflection on the limits of representation and the perpetual quest for understanding that drives both scientific inquiry and artistic expression.
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