Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the biggest influences in my life, and a classic., August 25, 2001
Douglas Hofstadter uses the art of M.C. Escher, the music of J.S. Bach, and Kurt Goedel's mathematics as the centerpieces for a magnificent inquiry into the nature of the mind. Along the way you will encounter Bertrand Russel, Carroll Lewis, particle physics, molecular biology, Magritte's paintings, and Zen koans. These are all used to probe recursion and the mystery of how we form thoughts. But the list of topics alone is not what makes this book great, it's the playful, joyful sense that characterize's Hofstadter's treatment of this. This sense of wonder is critical, as without it this highly challenging book would be very frustrating. The book's style itself is based on Bach's canons, and the chapters are interspersed with dialogues between the Tortois and the Hare, in the style of Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. The result is an artistic as well as scientific or philisophical masterpiece. I am currently a triple-major in molecular biology, physics, and philosophy, and much of my curriculum has been influenced by the beauty of Hofstadter's book. This will go down as one of the 20th Century's bests books.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone should own this book!, May 2, 2000
Hofstadter has done a superb job of presenting an intriguing melange of disciplines that are seemingly unrelated. The author manages to quickly show that Godel's theorems, Escher's art, and Bach's music have much more in common than most would think. In a lengthy but VERY worthwhile read, he manages to get the reader to analyze many of the assumptions commonly held about the nature of thought and why it is so devilishly difficult to formalize the thought process with rigid rules, among other topics.That he manages to entertain as well (he writes with a wry sense of humor on what are typically handled as rather dry subjects) and manages to reach the layman is what sets this volume apart as the masterpiece that it is. Although it is accessable to the layman, the book does become progressively more challenging and I strongly recommend completing his suggested exercises before moving on, otherwise you will likely find yourself unable to grasp the point he's trying to make several pages later.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must for every student of cognitive science, December 15, 1999
I came across this book in 1993. I had to prepare for a seminar on AI as part of my curriculum. My then tutor recommended that I read this book before preparing for my seminar.The journey started at this point. No matter however hard I tried, I couldnt keep the book down. One could not help repeatedly starring at Escher's paintings on relativity and admiring it. It seems to be whole new world out there. Another painting that is great is the 'Waterfall'. The dialogues between Achiless and the tortoise are simply great. It gives us the insight on how great men think. WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUL It is indeed creditable of Mr. Hofstadter to bring out this masterpiece.
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Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
by Douglas R. Hofstadter
by Douglas R. Hofstadter
by Douglas R. Hofstadter
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