Mind Tools: Five Levels of Mathematical Reality - Softcover

Rudy Rucker

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140101586 ISBN 13: 9780140101584

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd, 1988

Synopsis

This reader-friendly volume groups the patterns of mathematics into five archetypes: numbers, space, logic, infinity, and information. Rudy Rucker presents an accessible introduction to each of these important areas, reflecting intelligence gathered from the frontiers of mathematical thought. More than 100 drawings illuminate explorations of digital versus analog processes, logic as a computing tool, communication as information transmission, and other "mind tools."
"Mind Tools is an original and fascinating look at various aspects of mathematics that is sure to fascinate the nonmathematician." — Isaac Asimov
"A lighthearted romp through contemporary mathematics. . . . Mind Tools is a delight." — San Francisco Chronicle
"For those who gave up college mathematics for what seemed more liberal arts, Rudy Rucker's book, Mind Tools, is a dazzling refresher course. . . . He rekindles the wonder that can come from contemplating logarithms, exponential curves and transcendental numbers." — The New York Times Book Review
"One of Rucker's greatest assets is his ability to make complexities comprehensible to the general reader without lecturing." — The Washington Post
"Approaching all of mathematics, and everything else, by way of information theory, Dr. Rucker's latest and most exciting book opens vistas of dazzling beauty — scenes that blend order with chaos, reality with fantasy, that startle you with their depths of impenetrable mystery." — Martin Gardner

About this title

Reviews

Number, space, logic, infinitythese basic patterns seem to reflect essential features of our minds and of the world around us. By analyzing each of these building blocks from the standpoint of information (reduction of uncertainty), Rucker takes the uninitiated reader deep inside the world of modern mathematics. He moves from patterns in bathroom tiles to cellular automata or machines that can reproduce themselves. Sections cover the new science of fractals (fragmented, real-world shapes) and catastrophe theory, which deals with abrupt change. Mathematician David Hilbert's futile search for an all-encompassing mathematical system leads Rucker to navigate the shoals of symbolic logic, Godel's Incompleteness Theorem and Turing machines. The author's previous books include Infinity and the Mind and Software, science fiction about artificial intelligence.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

There have been many books written about mathematics for the nonmathematician. This one focuses on the most recent areas of mathematical research that are most closely related to the areas of computer science and artificial intelligence. Among the topics treated are fractals, logic, complexity, computability, and information theory. The subtlety of these fields requires the reader to bring a fairly solid background to the book. Rucker makes a good try at making these ideas simple and intuitive but some sections remain conceptually very difficult. On balance, this is a good book about modern mathematics for the informed reader willing to put in some mental effort. Harold D. Shane, Mathematics Dept., Baruch Coll., CUNY
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Publication date: 1988
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0140101586
• ISBN 13: 9780140101584
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336