Infinity and the Mind

by Rudy Rucker

Paperback, 1983

Status

Available

Call number

515

Genres

Publication

Bantam (1983), Mass Market Paperback

Description

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.… (more)

Media reviews

NBD/Biblion (via BOL.com)

Wellicht naar aanleiding van het succes van "De vierde dimensie" (a.i. 86-18-262) is nu ook Ruckers oudere boek "Oneindigheid" (uit 1982) in Nederlandse vertaling op de markt gebracht. Met dezelfde briljante gedrevenheid behandelt Rucker de paradoxale wereld van het oneindig grote en het oneindig

kleine, zoals we die in de filosofie en vooral in de moderne wiskunde tegenkomen. Daarbij komen de transfiniete getallen, de stelling van Godel, de kunstmatige intelligentie, en zelfs een vleugje oosterse mystiek aan de orde. In tegenstelling tot "De vierde dimensie" is dit boek echter didactisch vrij zwak. De opbouw is rommelig, de uitleg vaak niet helder, en de gemiddelde leek waar het voor geschreven is heeft aardig wat wiskundekennis van universitair niveau nodig om het te kunnen volgen. Bevat puzzels met oplossingen, en een uitvoerige literatuurlijst. (NBD|Biblion recensie, Drs. D.G. van der Steen.)

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User reviews

LibraryThing member MaowangVater

In the 1981 preface Rucker writes, “This book discusses every kind of infinity: potential and actual, mathematical and physical, the ontological and the mundane.” The main line of argument is mathematical. Rucker uses physics, philosophy and theology as illustrations and examples of

mathematical concepts. He also uses mathematical formulas, diagrams and cartoon to illustrate concepts in other disciplines. The five chapters all conclude with a collection of puzzles and paradoxes. This assumes that if the reader has followed and understood the concepts so far you have another chance to exhaust your reasoning powers on these, because with infinities there are things that cannot be logically, mathematically or scientifically described fully. Rucker argues that many of the ideas about infinity are not rationally and deductive, but mystical an intuitive. This makes a book that is an active and entertaining mental wrestling match. It also makes it a stimulating, thought provoking, and potentially mind expanding read.

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LibraryThing member celephicus

I read this book over a longish evening. At the end my mind was so expanded I had difficulty in going to bed! if you are at all curious about infinity, the concept, which, according to Borges "Contaminates and destroys all others", then a look at this book wil satisfy you. Some concepts still elude

me, but if Rucker can't make them plain, then probably no-one else can. Perhaps I might suggest a book on flower arranging?

To Rucker I owe the following proof of the falsity of the statement "in an infinite universe, anything is possible". Ti disprove this, we only have to show that something is impossible in our (imaginary) infinite universe. Let's say a planet where everyone has green hair. Now imagine a guide to the planets in the universe. This book has an infinite number of pages. Now imagine that we put green-haired planets every other page, with noral planets in between. We can remove the GHP from our guidebook, and it is still infinite. So now we can imagine an infinite universe with no GHPs. So many things are not possible in our infinite universe. This proof is oddly satisfying. Thank you Mr. Rucker.

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LibraryThing member Packrat

The contents of this book is best used in 50 lb bags, available at most lawn & garden stores. You would get a better grasp of infinity by overdosing on dextromethorphan than by reading this tripe. The basic concept of a true infinity escapes Mr. Rucker throughout the whole book.

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