Comments on: Gödel, Escher, Bach: A Mental Space Odyssey

By: DiggidyDan

DiggidyDan — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:54:03 +0000

@MEH
I would recommend Krome Barrat’s Logic and Design in Art, Science, and Mathematics

By: simplycharly

simplycharly — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:18:53 +0000

I, too, have been trying to wade through Hofstadter’s tome for over a decade. It’s certainly a book which one can mine for enlightening nuggets over a lifetime. Roger Penrose’s book “The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and The Laws of Physics” is another such book which follows the same path that Hofstadter blazed a decade earlier.

I created a website in honor of KURT GÖDEL at http://simplycharly.com/godel

And here are a couple of interviews with eminent mathematicians who have spent a lifetime wrestling with GÖDEL’S proofs.

http://simplycharly.com/godel/gregory_chaitin_interview.htm

http://simplycharly.com/godel/james_meyer_godel_interview.html

By: Greg0658

Greg0658 — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:59:54 +0000

back from watchin the 1st hour of 6 .. (after loading Real and checking Wiki for Reals philosophy on business)

I hated math in school .. earth sciences and graphics where my avenues of accomplishable hope

at 40 min and 52m seems (the room has squeeks) some folks prefer to stay on math and off the philosophy (I think its used as an interlude / maybe wake the sheep)

to go BP on ya … I feel sorry for the kids today .. music has gone somewhere .. I loved growing up in the 70s80s .. chord progression in songs would get picked up and transform from band to band leading you from one entity to another slowly adding a slightly different rift

I can’t put my finger on IT .. I think we got the ultimate manna … where is there to go from there . but lazy slurping up the fruit … now we are in the dreaded loop of churning for cash flow to survive . at a stupified intellect level … the churn will produce stuff for you

happy fathers day
(and I am still immensely proud to have filled in the Obama oval)

By: VennData

VennData — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:41:04 +0000

From GEB: “The word ‘word’ defines itself. ‘Word’ is a word that that defines itself. ‘Word’ is a self-defining word. ‘Word,’ also is a word in the group of words that define themselves. What about ‘non-self-defining?’ Does ‘non-self-defining’ fit into that same group of words? ‘Non-self-defining’ is a word that does not define itself, since it’s non-self-defining. But then if it doesn’t define itself, it is non-self-defining! So is it part of the group – or set – or not?”

Some Self-defining words: Data, Noun, Adjective-like, un-ryhmeable, Capitalized, Intangible, Concept, Idea, Symbol, Name, Short, Polysyllabic, Heterological

Some Non-Self-defining words: Non-self-defining, Abbreviated, Mono-syllabic, Yellow, Spoken, Mispelled, Portmanteau, There

I’ve kept this list – referring to the Godel Incompleteness Theorem, since reading the book, adding words as I see them etc.

Also see the Grelling-Nelson Paradox, Bertrand Russell’s paradox, etc.

By: Mark E Hoffer

Mark E Hoffer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:10:00 +0000

BR, this might be a good time to suggest that you/TBP puts together a "Need to Read"/"Books to Own" List that includes Titles outside of the, generally, narrowly percieved domain of Fin/Econ..

Godel Escher Bach: Eternal Golden Bailout Nation

you know, for starters.. ~

By: The Curmudgeon

The Curmudgeon — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:46:05 +0000

BR,

I too saw your quote in the piece on Gross (the evil mastermind of the world, IMO). NYT might just want to give you a column. Just as I got finished reading the piece my daughter woke up and brought me a Father’s Day gift:

Bailout Nation!

Some days are diamonds, even for one as irascible and churlish as I. Allow me to say thanks for keeping this forum, and steadfastly calling ‘em like you see ‘em, ’cause you’ve got a great view of The Big Picture.

The Curmudgeon

By: guidepostings

guidepostings — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:30:37 +0000

hey barry –

i was just reading the nytimes piece on gross in it and thanked the lord for your quote of reason.

kudos on the book’s overwhelming success!

By: Greg0658

Greg0658 — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:40:23 +0000

The series looks interesting. I guess I have to get RealPlayer back in this machine.

On the subject of stumbling across openware courses (found last-nite) .. here is a guy using YouTube in an interesting way .. almost a hundred songs of closeup strummin’ & bass frettin’ for budding electric bass players

Simply Red – Something Got Me Started – Bass Cover by infusion26
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7nfC7kWBAQ

By: doug

doug — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:02:32 +0000

Ok, I started that book at least 3 times. I am in awe of anyone who ‘it spoke to’. Seriously smart, you are.

By: David Merkel

David Merkel — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:59:02 +0000

This was one of my favorite books in my 20s. A real classic. Teaches you a lot about logic and its limits.