This book tries to explore several interrelated and complicated questions. These are “what makes a self?”, “how is a self related to computers and formal systems?”, “how is meaning created?” and “to what extent is self-reference essential for meaning?”. To try and answer these questions (and he admits that there are currently no satisfactory answers), the author embarks on a journey touching physics, maths, art, biology, computer science, cognitive science, music, Zen etc etc etc. This is a huge book in terms of length, scope and meaning. That’s probably why it’s been quite popular for over 20 years.
The book starts with an introduction to formal systems as rules for manipulating objects which can be represented as strings. He then links up to mathematical concepts to see how we can examine these systems and attach representation to them. Recursion is also introduced along with TNT (a special system of basic number theory), as well as some non-formal ways of thinking about systems (such as Zen).
In the second part of the book, computers and cognitive science are linked to formal systems. Finally, using TNT as an example, Godel’s incompleteness theorem is explained in a manner that’s relatively easy for the layman to understand, as well as its implications with respect to meaning. Then, the book talks about self-reference on a more general sense as well as the progresses in AI and what this all has to do with the search for meaning and the investigation of our thinking selves.
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This may sound like a huge heap of tpoics and it is – but that’s what makes the book special – its ways of connecting things from Godel’s incompleteness theorem to Escher’s self-referential prints to Bach’s finely structured music which gives the “formal system” of musical notes an extra meaning.
One of the enjoyable things about the book is that each chapter has a dialogue before it which introduces the subject in an easy and intuitive matter. The dialogues carry along the Socratic tradition with the main players being Achilles and the Tortoise.
The book has hundreds of tables, diagrams and drawings to allow all readers to ponder at their level. Even if you don’t agree with many of Hofstadter’s theories, I hope you will still consider this a great book. It combines humour, philosophy, science and keen observation in an enriching way.
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Details For Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
- Paperback: 824 pages ( Download PDF :
) - ISBN-10: 0465026567
- ISBN-13: 978-0465026562
- Author : Douglas R. Hofstadter
- Publisher: Basic Books; 20 Anv edition (February 5, 1999)
- Language: English
- Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 5.8 x 9.2 inches
About the Author
Douglas Hofstadter is professor of computer science and cognitive science at Indiana University. GODEL, ESCHER, BACH won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.
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