Alan Turing died 70 years ago

Legality, Morality, and Historical Context

• Many comments frame Turing’s conviction as a case where law and morality diverged, noting homosexuality was widely seen as perversion then but is now understood as a normal variation.
• Others stress that people at the time believed they were acting morally, warning that “moral righteousness” can justify great harm and should always be challengeable.
• There is extended debate on whether “real” or objective morality exists versus all morality being subjective and context-bound.
• Some recommend studying Kant’s categorical imperative and Mill’s utilitarianism, plus work on how emotions (e.g., disgust) drive moral judgment.

Turing’s Conviction, Pardon, and Bodily Autonomy

• Turing was convicted of “gross indecency” and accepted chemical castration as a probation condition.
• One view: he was punished directly for being gay; the law criminalized private consensual acts.
• Counterview: the state’s concern was partly security-related (relationship with a younger, vulnerable man; burglary risk), not “mere” homosexuality; critics of this view push back hard.
• Discussion of whether posthumous pardons are appropriate if the law was followed at the time, and whether pardons implicitly affirm guilt.
• Broader argument about bodily autonomy: some assert governments should never restrict consenting adults’ private behavior; others argue democratic will can legitimately impose limits and that “bodily autonomy” is itself a contestable principle.

Suicide, Hormones, and Uncertainty

• Some note his death is not conclusively established as suicide; coronial reasoning is criticized as biased.
• Others cite evidence suggesting suicide, with cyanide poisoning and prior mention of using an “experiment” as cover.
• Several speculate that hormone treatment (chemical castration) may have caused or worsened depression; anecdotal experiences with hormone therapy are shared, but overall impact remains unclear.

Recognition, Credit, and Other Codebreakers

• Strong sentiment that the greatest “justice” would have been to leave Turing free to live and work, rather than showering him with titles or money.
• Multiple comments emphasize that many others were crucial: Polish cryptanalysts (Rejewski et al.), Gordon Welchman, Bill Tutte, Tommy Flowers, Arne Beurling, Hugh Foss, and others.
• Some push back against over-crediting Turing with “breaking Enigma,” stressing the multi-national, multi-decade nature of the work.

Modern Parallels and Ongoing Issues

• Comparisons to current intrusive laws (e.g., on drugs, incest, euthanasia, digital content) and to moral campaigns from different political factions.
• Concern that rollback of rights (e.g., around sexuality and contraception) is still an active risk.

Miscellaneous

• Note of wiped BBC recordings of Turing lectures.
• Mentions of visiting Bletchley Park, donation campaigns (“Flowers for Turing”), and the symbolic timing of his death near the D-Day anniversary.