The word 'computer' here meant only what that word meant in 1936: a person doing calculations.
这是在1936年,此时computer这个词,还只有一个含义,那就是一个做计算的人。
Elsewhere in the paper he appealed to the idea that 'the human memory is necessarily limited,' but this was as far as he went in a discussion of the nature of the human mind.
这篇文章还提出,人类的记忆能力必定是有限的,甚至还讨论了一点人类大脑的本质。
It was a bold act of imagination, a brave suggestion that 'states of mind' could be counted, on which to base his argument.
他假设思维状态是可数的,以此作为论证的基础,这是一个非常大胆的想象。
It was especially noteworthy because in quantum mechanics, physical states could be 'arbitrarily close'.
应该尤其注意这一点,因为根据量子力学,物质的状态确实可以无限地相叠。
He continued with his discussion of the human computer:
他继续讨论他的计算者:
Let us imagine the operations performed by the computer to be split up into 'simple operations' which are so elementary that it is not easy to imagine them further divided.
我们想象一下,把计算者进行的运算,分成若干不可再分的基本操作。
Every such operation consists of some change in the physical system consisting of the computer and his tape.
每一个这样的操作,都可以看成是计算者和纸带的一组物理变化。
We know the state of the system if we know the sequence of symbols on the tape, which of these are observed by the computer (possibly with a special order), and the state of mind of the computer.
只要我们知道计算者从纸带上依次看到的符号序列(也许是以某种特殊顺序),以及计算者的思维状态,我们就能知道这个系统的状态。
We may suppose that in a simple operation not more than one symbol is altered.
我们假设,一个基本操作,最多只能改写一个符号,
Any other changes can be split up into simple changes of this kind.
如果需要改写多个,可以分解成多个基本操作。
The situation in regard to the squares whose symbols may be altered in this way is the same as in regard to the observed squares.
可改写的方格,与视线正在看方格,需要满足的条件是一样的。
We may, therefore, without loss of generality, assume that the squares whose symbols are changed are always 'observed' squares.
我们可以不失一般性地假设,可改写的方格,必须是正在看的。
Besides these changes of symbols, the simple operations must include changes of distribution of observed squares.
除了改写符号,基本操作还包括转移视线。
The new observed squares must be immediately recognisable by the computer.
一下步要看的方格,必须是视线可及的。
I think it is reasonable to suppose that they can only be squares whose distance from the closest of the immediately previously observed squares does not exceed a certain fixed amount.
我认为可以做一个合理的假设,与视线正在看的方格,不超过一定距离的方格,才是视线可及的。
Let us say that each of the new observed squares is within L squares of an immediately previously observed square.
不妨设为,视线可及的方格,就是与正在看的方格距离小于L的方格。
In connection with 'immediate recognisability', it may be thought that there are other kinds of square which are immediately recognisable.
说到视线可及,也许有人会说,还有其它一些方格也是视线可及的。