| With the emergence and development of the Internet,people’s work and life has long been inseparable from computers.On one hand,dating back to more than a hundred years ago,Charles Babbage,the British mathematician,designed the mechanical computer which was of great significance along the history.In Babbage’s work,we will find all the core ideas of constructions in modern universal computers.On the other hand,if we read about that history,we will find a woman,Augusta Ada,who played a leading role on designing the computer.Ada is primarily known for her work on the designing of the general-purpose computer,or the Analytical Machine.She was the first one to propose that this kind of machine had the applications beyond the pure computing system.Furthermore,she published the first algorithm to be executed by such a machine.As a result,she was called the first programmer in history.In light of that programming seems to be a male-dominated field today,why was the first programmer in history a woman? Considering that Ada’s father was a well-known romantic poet,then how could it be that the daughter has become a rational mathematician and programmer? How did Ada get onto the path of computer programming and what did she do with the Analytical Machine? Combined with recent researches,this paper will answer the questions above and try to make an analysis on the problems of women in the field of science and technology,in order to help them maintain the legal rights under the guidance of feminism.The paper will be divided into five parts.In the first part,through a brief review of Ada’s life,the main reasons for Ada’s career in mathematics and science will be analyzed.The second part will illustrate Ada’s achievements,that is,the Notes written for the Analytical Machine.I will evaluate Ada’s contribution and influence in the Notes.In the third part,taking the situation of females’ participation in scientific research both in Chinaand the United States as an example,I will analyze the situation nowadays and possible obstacles for females to participate in scientific researches.The fourth part will briefly elaborate the connotation of feminist philosophy of science.On this basis,I will discusses the problems of women in scientific research represented by Ada.In the fifth part,on the basis of the discussion above,I will try to put forward some suggestions for the development of Chinese women in the field of science and technology. |
