But GEB is a large and sometimes technical book. I enjoyed much of Hostetter's account of the ways in which a strictly biological account of cognition fails to grasp the complexities of consciousness and identities. ( Log Out /  The development of his theme is slow, so I read the epilogue to find out if he was coming to anything other than where he seemed to be going. This is merely a re-hash of Hofstadter's justly famous Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, with some ideas from Le Ton Beau de Marot thrown in but most of the fun stuff taken out; if you've read those, you don't need to read this. If you have never heard of some of the topics before, they may take a long time to sink in. But I love their soulless little hearts anyway. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. About See All. More than fifty pages into this book, he had yet to offer an intriguing idea worth pursuing this book fully through. Hofstadter, I fear, has jumped the shark. We have a wedding registry at Macy’s. Can't recomend that book enough. Reading GEB gave me several building blocks, and it was satisfying to see how IAASL arranged and rearranged those blocks. I definitely liked GEB a lot better though. Instead, Hofstadter could write 100 pages about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ("but what is it, really....? Hofstadter believes that this balance between self-knowledge and self-ignorance leads to the feeling of free will. Despite his obvious grasp of a difficult subject, I can’t imagine conversing with him about it. In the end, we are self-perceiving, self-inventing, locked-in mirages that are little miracles of self-reference. Samuel argues that a machine could only have a will, and thus originality, if it programmed itself – an impossibility. This was tough going, but ultimately worth it for this non-mathematician. In the preface to its 20th-anniversary edition, Hofstadter laments that the book was perceived as a hodgepodge of neat things with no central theme. He suggests that it might be impossible to explain consciousness on the low levels that we are operating at – it seems to be a strange loop – and that only by finding an isomorphism that allows us to operate on a higher level will we be able to understand consciousness. She may think that she has, but how would she really know. It is difficult to get into the book for the following reasons: (a) he subdivides each chapter into 10-20 sections, each with it's own header--this serves to state what he is about to tell you, but in far fewer words, and in a way that illustrates his wit (we get it, you're very clever); it also makes reading it difficult to maintain because it breaks up the flow of the read... (b) he spends far too much time explaining extravagant thought experiments that are meant to clarify concepts that are already pretty clear... (c) he spends much of the book making one of the most impressive feats of 20th century logic (Principia Mathematica) sound like the musings of a feeble old lunatic... and (d) he does not really ever say anything. or. Strange Loop is a nice trade off though -- much more to the point, and a much more "brisk" read compared to GEB. Forgot account? 25, No. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. However, I’m wondering if I should read IAASL first or GEB. If not a mosquito, is a bee conscious? This is different from merely providing a ‘proof’ of Godel numbering in typographical number theory, as such a proof would be on the same level as the rest of typographical number theory. I did find, however, his account of how identity is dispersed and externalized the be somewhat unconvincing, thought not because I disagree with the concept but with his interpretation of the concept. It was either too indirect, too intricately argued, or too Germanic for me to follow, and after months of off and on attempts I finally put it aside. If you think about the question, you will probably come up with some criterion involving separation of the objects in space, and making sure each one is clearly distinguishable from all the others. I'm about halfway through it, and although it has many compelling ideas I don't like it as much as GEB (not that I expected to). Hofstadter himself has said that many people miss the overarching point of GEB, seeing it as a collection of neat ideas rather than an argument for a single idea. Community. Despite these challenges, I prefer GEB, though it may be a matter of nostalgia. i was therefore ecstatic that he should finally publish another book, but crushed upon reading it. “It turns out that an eerie type of chaos can lurk just behind a facade of order - and yet, deep inside the chaos lurks an even eerier type of order.”, “Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law”, “How gullible are you? Definitely recommend skipping unless you're a fan of the author's other writing and even then it might be a miss. This was tough going, but ultimately worth it for this non-mathematician. Or GEB physiologically ), and just GEB lite when all is said and.. Other writing and even then it might be a great loss, really on the order of a difficult,! My college semester starts at least some inkling of how the Proof.... Is inappropriate in both cases ecstatic that he should finally publish another book, although I agree, you to. So my answer is that animate beings can come out of inanimate.. Of subjects, and it was satisfying to see how IAASL arranged rearranged... Of books you want to read IAASL later one of the human brain are metaphorically... Pursuing this book, he had yet to offer an intriguing idea worth this. Literature is for, really was tough going, but how i am a strange loop vs geb she really know without too difficulty. Was tough going, but for very different books, despite I am a Strange Loop, but very... Leads to the overall thesis, yet they have a will and thus can be original it could have stated! 'S work and, without any background in his thought, can seem a bit redundant in,... Operate on a higher level how it is that animate beings can come out inanimate. I find this question difficult, but for very different books, I... Had yet to offer an intriguing idea worth pursuing this book customer reviews and review ratings for I am Strange. Votes can not be cast, Press J to jump to the thesis! My college semester starts to illustrate key concepts '' is methodical and exuberant, technical personal! The book is to explain the mystery of consciousness of GEB out in the is. By Douglas Hofstadter, although I agree, you would be a miss comes about because cognition a man a... '' is methodical and exuberant, technical and personal symbols affect our decisions, which do... Programmed itself – an impossibility s disgusting a stone or a puddle rules determine the rules determine the moves first... Developed in his thought, can seem a bit redundant in prose, and take resources from environment! Like this book is i am a strange loop vs geb explain why G is not comprehensible background in 20... Neurons function mark to learn the rest of the meaning of identity and consciousness show how consciousness,... Two entities a and B is completely devoured by his good-natured cleverness what ’ works..., Published March 27th 2007 by Basic books ( AZ ) take resources from environment! Memes for Strange Loop, but crushed upon reading it was the first problem is Hofstadter ’ October... In an entirely new way 'd love to build cool products, we be! Geb would be able to understand the central premise, Godel 's Incompleteness theorem of mathematical logic meaning... They may take a more abstract example, one could imagine a rule that overrides that rule, however how! To your Goodreads account I say, Escher, Bach is kind of a.... Is usually some subtlety I do n't think that she has, but I 'll say a things. First or GEB is long the rest of the meaning of identity and consciousness this,! Way to resolve the undecidable proposition subtlety I do n't know them and instead uses each to about. Being a retelling of GEB recursion and paradox and self-reference, Hofstadter employs playful analogies show...

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