Ed's Reviews > Gödel's Proof
Gödel's Proof
by Ernest Nagel, James R. Newman, Douglas R. Hofstadter
by Ernest Nagel, James R. Newman, Douglas R. Hofstadter
I recommend this book for readers who want a clear and concise introduction to Godel's proof. The book will be especially useful for readers whose interests lie primarily in mathematics or logic, but who do not have very much prior knowledge of this important proof. Readers with broader interests, who would like to explore the larger implications of the proof for science or philosophy, may be disappointed that the book ends where it does. Godel's Incompleteness Theorem is cited by many scholars who question some of the fundamental assumptions of science. Just to give one example, it figures prominently in Robert Rosen's argument that a computing machine is an inadequate model for an organism. It is relevant to the question of whether everything that nature does can be understood as a computation, as Wolfram and many others have maintained. This book would have been more exciting if it had delved into a few of these discussions. Instead the authors wrap it up quickly with a brief "concluding reflections" chapter, as if they had a deadline to meet or a severe space limitation to conform to. That may leave some readers understanding the logic of the proof, but saying "so what?"
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