Incompleteness: The Proof And Paradox of Kurt Godel: 0 - Brossura

Goldstein, Rebecca

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0393327604 ISBN 13: 9780393327601

Casa editrice: W W Norton & Co Inc, 2006

Riassunto

A portrait of the eminent twentieth-century mathematician discusses his groundbreaking theorem of incompleteness, contributions within the famous Vienna circle, relationships with such contemporaries as Albert Einstein, and untimely death as a result of mental instability and self-starvation. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

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Product Description:

"A gem....An unforgettable account of one of the great moments in the history of human thought."--Steven Pinker A masterly introduction to the life and thought of the man who transformed our conception of math forever. Kurt Godel is considered the greatest logician since Aristotle. His monumental theorem of incompleteness demonstrated that in every formal system of arithmetic there are true statements that nevertheless cannot be proved. The result was an upheaval that spread far beyond mathematics, challenging conceptions of the nature of the mind. Rebecca Goldstein, a MacArthur-winning novelist and philosopher, explains the philosophical vision that inspired Godel's mathematics, and reveals the ironic twist that led to radical misinterpretations of his theorems by the trendier intellectual fashions of the day, from positivism to postmodernism. Ironically, both he and his close friend Einstein felt themselves intellectual exiles, even as their work was cited as among the most important in twentieth-century thought. For Godel, the sense of isolation would have tragic consequences. This lucid and accessible study makes Godel's theorem and its mindbending implications comprehensible to the general reader, while bringing this eccentric, tortured genius and his world to life. About the series: Great Discoveries brings together renowned writers from diverse backgrounds to tell the stories of crucial scientific breakthroughs--the great discoveries that have gone on to transform our view of the world.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Data di pubblicazione: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0393327604
• ISBN 13: 9780393327601
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 296