Editing Peter Naur

{{Short description|Danish computer science pioneer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name              = Peter Naur
| image             = Peternaur.JPG
| caption           = Naur in 2008
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1928|10|25|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Frederiksberg]], Denmark
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2016|1|3|1928|10|25|df=y}}
| death_place       = [[Herlev]], Denmark
| field             = [[Computer science]], [[informatics]]
| workplaces        = [[Regnecentralen]]<br/>[[Niels Bohr Institute]]<br/>[[Technical University of Denmark]]<br/>[[University of Copenhagen]]
| education         = [[University of Copenhagen]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], [[Master of Science|MS]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
| known_for         = [[ALGOL]]<br/>[[Backus–Naur form]]
| awards            = [[Computer Pioneer Award]] (1986)<br/>[[Turing Award]] (2005)
| spouse            = [[Christiane Floyd]]
}}
'''Peter Naur''' (25 October 1928 – 3 January 2016)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.i-programmer.info/news/82-heritage/9308-computer-scientist-peter-naur-dies-aged.html |title=Peter Naur Dies Aged 87 |access-date=4 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104201851/http://www.i-programmer.info/news/82-heritage/9308-computer-scientist-peter-naur-dies-aged.html |archive-date=4 January 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> was a Danish [[computer science]] pioneer and 2005 [[Turing Award]] winner. He is best remembered as a contributor, with [[John Backus]], to the [[Backus–Naur form]] (BNF) notation used in describing the [[Syntax (programming languages)|syntax]] for most [[programming language]]s. He also contributed to creating the language [[ALGOL 60]].

==Biography==
Naur began his career as an [[astronomer]] for which he received his [[Doctor of Philosophy]] (Ph.D.) degree in 1957, but his encounter with computers led to a change of profession. From 1959 to 1969, he was employed at [[Regnecentralen]], the Danish computing company, while at the same time giving lectures at the [[Niels Bohr Institute]] and the [[Technical University of Denmark]]. From 1969 to 1998, Naur was a professor of computer science at [[University of Copenhagen]].

He was a member of the [[International Federation for Information Processing]] (IFIP) [[IFIP Working Group 2.1]] on Algorithmic Languages and Calculi,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ifipwg21wiki.cs.kuleuven.be/IFIP21/Profile |title=Profile of IFIP Working Group 2.1 |last1=Jeuring |first1=Johan |last2=Meertens |first2=Lambert |author2-link=Lambert Meertens |last3=Guttmann |first3=Walter |date=2016-08-17 |website=Foswiki |access-date=2020-09-02 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308150549/https://ifipwg21wiki.cs.kuleuven.be/IFIP21/Profile |url-status=dead }}</ref> which [[Specification (technical standard)|specified]], supports, and maintains the languages [[ALGOL 60]] and [[ALGOL 68]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ifipwg21wiki.cs.kuleuven.be/IFIP21/ScopeEtc |title=ScopeEtc: IFIP21: Foswiki |last1=Swierstra |first1=Doaitse |last2=Gibbons |first2=Jeremy |author2-link=Jeremy Gibbons |last3=Meertens |first3=Lambert |author3-link=Lambert Meertens |date=2011-03-02 |website=Foswiki |access-date=2020-09-02 |archive-date=2 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902232853/https://ifipwg21wiki.cs.kuleuven.be/IFIP21/ScopeEtc |url-status=dead }}</ref> Between the years 1960 and 1993 he was a member of the editorial board for ''[[BIT Numerical Mathematics]]'', a journal focused on [[numerical analysis]].<ref name="history">{{cite web |url=http://www.csc.kth.se/BIT/BIT_History.html |title=BIT - A Nordic computer related journal |last=Fröberg |first=Carl Erik |accessdate=31 July 2013}}</ref>

Naur's main areas of inquiry were design, structure, and performance of [[computer program]]s and [[algorithm]]s. He also pioneered in [[software engineering]] and [[software architecture]]. In his book ''Computing: A Human Activity'' (1992), which is a collection of his contributions to computer science, he rejected the formalist school of programming that views programming as a branch of [[mathematics]]. He did not like being associated with the [[Backus–Naur form]] (attributed to him by [[Donald Knuth]]) and said that he would prefer it to be called the ''Backus normal form''.

Naur was married to computer scientist [[Christiane Floyd]].

Naur disliked the term ''computer science'' and suggested it be called ''datalogy'' or ''[[data science]]''. The former term has been adopted in Denmark and Sweden as ''datalogi'', while the latter term is now used for [[data analysis]], including statistics and databases.

Since the middle 1960s, computer science has been practiced in Denmark under Peter Naur's term ''datalogy'', the science of data processes. Starting at Regnecentralen and the University of Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Tradition of Computer Science has developed its own special characteristics by means of a close connection with applications and other fields of knowledge. The tradition is not least visible in the area of education. Comprehensive project activity is an integral part of the curriculum, thus presenting theory as an aspect of realistic solutions known primarily through actual experience.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Naur |first=Peter |date=1985 |url=http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/Naur.pdf |title=Peter Naur, ''Programming as Theory Building'' |website=Computer Sciences: School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences |publisher=University of Wisconsin, Madison |access-date=2020-09-02}}</ref> Peter Naur early recognized the particular educational challenges presented by computer science. His innovations have shown their quality and vitality also at other universities. There is a close connection between computer science training as it has been formed at Copenhagen University, and the view of computer science which characterized Peter Naur's research.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sveinsdottir |first1=Edda|author1-link=Edda Sveinsdottir |last2=Frøkjær |first2=Erik |year=1988 |title=Datalogy – the copenhagen tradition of computer science |journal=Bit |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=450–472 |doi=10.1007/BF01941128|s2cid=9672754 }}</ref>

In later years, he was quite outspoken of the pursuit of science as a whole: Naur can possibly be identified with the [[empiricism|empiricist]] school, that tells that one shall not seek deeper connections between things that manifest themselves in the world, but keep to the observable facts. He has attacked both certain strands of philosophy and psychology from this viewpoint. He was also developing a theory of human thinking which he called "Synapse-State Theory of Mental Life".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.naur.com/synapse-state.pdf |title=Naur, ''Synapse-State Theory of Mental Life'' |date=2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927022313/http://www.naur.com/synapse-state.pdf |archive-date=27 September 2011 |access-date=15 June 2011}}</ref>

Naur won the 2005 [[Association for Computing Machinery]] (ACM) A.M. [[Turing Award]] for his work on defining the programming language [[ALGOL 60]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://campus.acm.org/public/pressroom/press_releases/3_2006/turing_3_01_2006.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609203727/http://campus.acm.org/public/pressroom/press_releases/3_2006/turing_3_01_2006.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-06-09 |title=Software Pioneer Peter Naur Wins ACM's Turing Award |date=February 2006}}</ref> In particular, his role as editor of the influential ''Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 60'' with its pioneering use of [[Backus–Naur form|BNF]] was recognized. Naur is the only Dane to have won the Turing Award.

Naur died on 3 January 2016 after a short illness.<ref name=cwdk>{{cite news |last=Devantier |first=Nicolai |title=Den verdensberømte it-dansker Peter Naur er død – Computerworld |url=https://www.computerworld.dk/art/235905/den-verdensberoemte-it-dansker-peter-naur-er-doed |access-date=4 January 2016 |work=[[Computerworld]] |date=4 January 2016 |language=da}}</ref> His former home in [[Gentofte]] is now owned by the sociologist [[Claire_Maxwell_(sociologist) |Claire Maxwell]].

== Bibliography ==
Numbers refer to the bibliography published by E. Sveinsdottir and E. Frøkjær.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} Naur published a large number of articles and chapters on astronomy, computer science, issues in society, classical music, psychology, and education.
* 66. ''Minor planet 51 Nemausa and the fundamental system of declinations'', PhD thesis, 1957
* 95. (editor) {{cite journal |title=Report on the algorithmic language ALGOL 60 |journal=Comm. ACM |volume=3 |issue=5 |pages=299–314 |date=May 1960 |doi=10.1145/367236.367262 |last1=Backus |first1=J. W. |author-link=John Backus |last2=Wegstein |first2=J. H. |last3=van Wijngaarden |first3=A. |author3-link=Adriaan van Wijngaarden |last4=Woodger |first4=M. |author4-link=Mike Woodger |last5=Bauer |first5=F. L. |author5-link=Friedrich L. Bauer |last6=Green |first6=J. |last7=Katz |first7=C. |last8=McCarthy |first8=J. |author8-link=John McCarthy (computer scientist) |last9=Perlis |first9=A. J. |author9-link=Alan Perlis |last10=Rutishauser |first10=H. |last11=Samelson |first11=K. |last12=Vauquois |first12=B. |author-link12=Bernard Vauquois |s2cid=278290 |doi-access=free}} and several other journals.
* 128. (editor) {{cite journal |title=Revised report on the algorithmic language ALGOL 60 |journal=Comm. ACM |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1–17 |date=January 1963 |doi=10.1145/366193.366201 |last1=Backus |first1=J. W. |author-link=John Backus |last2=Wegstein |first2=J. H. |last3=van Wijngaarden |first3=A. |author3-link=Adriaan van Wijngaarden |last4=Woodger |first4=M. |author4-link=Mike Woodger |last5=Nauer |first5=P. |last6=Bauer |first6=F. L. |author6-link=Friedrich L. Bauer |last7=Green |first7=J. |last8=Katz |first8=C. |last9=McCarthy |first9=J. |author9-link=John McCarthy (computer scientist) |last10=Perlis |first10=A. J. |author10-link=Alan Perlis |last11=Rutishauser |first11=H. |last12=Samelson |first12=K. |last13=Vauquois |first13=B. |s2cid=7853511 |doi-access=free}}
* 144. {{cite journal | title=Go to statements and good Algol style | journal=BIT | volume=3 | issue=3 | date=1963 | issn=0006-3835 | doi=10.1007/BF01939987 | pages=204–208}}
* 212. {{cite book |author-mask=1 |last1=Naur |first1=Peter |last2=Randell |first2=Brian |author-link2=Brian Randell |last3=Buxton |first3=J.N. |title=The Conference on Software Engineering, 7–11 October 1968 |location=Garmisch, Germany |orig-year=1969 |year=1976 |oclc=610836679 |isbn=978-0884053347 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/softwareengineer00naur}}
* 213. {{Cite book |author-mask=1 |last1=Naur |first1=P. |last2=Gram |first2=C. |last3=Hald |first3=J. |last4=Hansen |first4=H. B. |last5=Wessel |first5=A. |title=Datamatik – [[Studentlitteratur]] |year=1969}}
* 247, 249. (with B. Pedersen) ''Matematik 4 kursusbog'', 2 volumes, Copenhagen University, 1971, 2nd ed. 1972
* 264. ''Concise Survey of Computer Methods'', 397 p., [[Studentlitteratur]], 1974
* 274. ''Datalogi 2 1975/76'', 102 p., Copenhagen University, 1975, new edition 1976
* 333. {{cite book |author-mask=1 |last=Naur |first=P. |title=Computing: A Human Activity |publisher=ACM Press |year=1992 |isbn=978-0201580693}}
* 347. {{cite book |author-mask=1 |last=Naur |first=P. |title=Knowing and the Mystique of Logic and Rules: Including True Statements in Knowing and Action * Computer Modelling of Human Knowing Activity * Coherent Description as the Core of Scholarship and Science |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oY5qVymjaW4C |year=1995 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-7923-3680-8}}
* 363. {{cite book |last=Naur |first=Peter |title=Antifilosofisk leksikon: Tænkning – sproglighed – videnskabelighed |year=1999 |publisher=Naur.com publ. |isbn=87-987221-0-7}}; English translation 2001, {{ISBN|87-987221-1-5}}
* 382. {{cite book |last=Naur |first=Peter |title=Psykologi i videnskabelig rekonstruktion |year=2002 |publisher=Naur.com |isbn=978-87-987221-2-0}}
* {{cite journal |author=Naur, P. |author-mask=1 |title=Computing versus human thinking |journal=Comm. ACM |volume=50 |issue=1 |pages=85–94 |date=January 2007 |doi=10.1145/1188913.1188922 |doi-access=free}}
* {{cite book |last1=Daylight |first1=E.G. |last2=Naur |first2=Peter |title=Pluralism in Software Engineering: Turing Award Winner Peter Naur Explains |publisher=Lonely Scholar |year=2011 |isbn=978-94-91386-00-8}}

==See also==
* [[List of pioneers in computer science]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.naur.com/ Personal website] with a detailed [http://www.naur.com/bibliography.html bibliography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728031922/http://www.naur.com/bibliography.html |date=28 July 2015 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927205744/http://www.idiap.ch/mmm/talk-webcast/uist-06/uist06_day1#2006-10-16_09h02 Talk at UIST], 2006
* [https://amturing.acm.org/award_winners/naur_1024454.cfm ACM Turing Award 2005 profile of Peter Naur], by Edgar G. Daylight

{{ALGOL programming}}
{{Turing award}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Naur, Peter}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Danish computer programmers]]
[[Category:Danish computer scientists]]
[[Category:Programming language designers]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the Technical University of Denmark]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Copenhagen]]
[[Category:20th-century Danish astronomers]]
[[Category:Turing Award laureates]]
[[Category:People from Frederiksberg]]