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Infinity and the Mind: The Science and Philosophy of the Infinite (Princeton Science Library) - Rudy Rucker
Infinity and the Mind: The Science and Philosophy of the Infinite (Princeton Science Library)
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In Infinity and the Mind, Rudy Rucker leads an excursion to that stretch of the universe he calls the "Mindscape," where he explores infinity in all its forms: potential and actual, mathematical and physical, theological and mundane. Rucker acquaints us with Gödel's rotating universe, in which it... show more
In Infinity and the Mind, Rudy Rucker leads an excursion to that stretch of the universe he calls the "Mindscape," where he explores infinity in all its forms: potential and actual, mathematical and physical, theological and mundane. Rucker acquaints us with Gödel's rotating universe, in which it is theoretically possible to travel into the past, and explains an interpretation of quantum mechanics in which billions of parallel worlds are produced every microsecond. It is in the realm of infinity, he maintains, that mathematics, science, and logic merge with the fantastic. By closely examining the paradoxes that arise from this merging, we can learn a great deal about the human mind, its powers, and its limitations.Using cartoons, puzzles, and quotations to enliven his text, Rucker guides us through such topics as the paradoxes of set theory, the possibilities of physical infinities, and the results of Gödel's incompleteness theorems. His personal encounters with Gödel the mathematician and philosopher provide a rare glimpse at genius and reveal what very few mathematicians have dared to admit: the transcendent implications of Platonic realism.
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Format: paperback
ISBN: 9780691121277 (0691121273)
ASIN: 691121273
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Pages no: 368
Edition language: English
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Community Reviews
NinthWanderer
NinthWanderer rated it
I read this in college, not for a class but just because it sounded interesting. I was an English major with a fondness for the ideas of science, but lacking the patience to try to understand the mathematics of it all. This book was engaging and accessible, and opened my mind to new concepts. I wish...
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