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Die Mathematik und das Göttliche
An der Mathematik scheiden sich die Geister: Für die einen ist sie schrecklich, für die anderen -- göttlich? Immerhin spielen bestimmte Zahlen in fast allen Religionen eine mehr oder weniger bedeutende Rolle. Clifford Pickover hat sich die Mühe gemacht, auf einer Zeitreise durch die Mathematik- und Kulturgeschichte diesem Phänomen nachzuspüren. Was dabei herauskommt ist viel mehr als ein trockenes Mathematikbuch oder eine Kulturgeschichte der Zahlen: eher eine Science-Fiction-Geschichte mit abenteuerlichen Ausflügen in die Philosophie.
Sie -- richtig: Sie! -- reisen gemeinsam mit einem gewissen Mr. Plex (sozusagen Ihr Dr. Watson) durch die Geschichte, um für ein intergalaktisches Museumsprojekt Informationen über die Verbindung von Mathematik und Religion zu sammeln. Als gewissenhafter Forscher fangen Sie erst mal in der Antike an, und zwar direkt vor Ort und in der Zeit von Pythagoras. Zeitmaschinen stehen ebenso zur Verfügung wie ferngesteuerte Kamerafliegen, mit deren Hilfe Sie etwa den großen antiken Denker bei der Arbeit beobachten. Mr. Plex steht Ihnen tapfer, aber ein wenig tollpatschig zur Seite -- das mag daran liegen, dass es sich bei Mr. Plex um einen Angehörigen der Gattung Scolex handelt. Fragen Sie mich jetzt nicht, was ein Scolex ist, sein Äußeres besticht jedenfalls durch ein Exo-Skelett und interessante physiognomische Reaktionen wie einer pulsierenden leuchtenden Bauchdecke in Stresssituationen...
Nach der mehr oder weniger erfolgreichen Stippvisite in der Antike führt die Reise quer durchs Mittelalter (und das ist wahrlich reich an Zahlenmystik), dann wieder zurück nach Stonehenge (Mr. Plex glänzt in dieser Episode dadurch, dass er mit seiner Tollpatschigkeit die Steinformationen wie eine Reihe Dominosteine zum Kippen bringt), und schließlich in die Zukunft des Jahres 2126.
Der skurrile Humor ist vielleicht nicht jedermanns Geschmack, aber wer Mathematik in Star-Trek-Manier etwas abgewinnen kann, wird sich köstlich amüsieren. Und ganz nüchtern aus wissenschaftlicher Sicht betrachtet ist dieses Buch allemal noch ein interessantes Kompendium aus Zahlentheorie, Ethnomathematik, Archäologie und Logik. --Heike Reher
448 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 1997
About the author
Clifford A. Pickover
89 books236 followersClifford Alan Pickover is an American author, editor, and columnist in the fields of science, mathematics, science fiction, innovation, and creativity. For many years, he was employed at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown, New York, where he was editor-in-chief of the IBM Journal of Research and Development. He has been granted more than 700 U.S. patents, is an elected Fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and is author of more than 50 books, translated into more than a dozen languages.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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March 14, 2025Pretty rare for me to DNF but I made that awful decision today. Not gonna give it a star rating or add it to my count, but here's my feelings in brief. Frankly, I'm disappointed that this didn't go well for me. Here we have something which in design, is a book that I've been craving for many, many years. A fictional story with mathematics as the main plot driver. But in my opinion this piece is too erratic and attempts to combine too many styles.
It is part historical account, part mathematical encyclopedia and part time-travel scifi story.
The scifi story initially appealed greatly to me but it quickly became a pointless bore. You are time travelling with an alien back to meet the Pythagoreans. For some reason your alien pal regularly blurts out his surprise in French, "Mon Dieu!" Then as you make exceedingly obvious time travel blunders, like leaving a modern laptop in an ancient temple, changes to the timeline emerge starting with people having 6 fingers on each hand which is casually described as a "subtle difference." When you're eventually discovered by Pythagoras' wife, she joins in your adventures and you wind up fomenting a love affair in the most pedestrian manner. It's about this much that I could possibly bear, but it piles on with unstimulating dialogue and lazy plotting.
The mathematical marvels presented are fascinating in their own right, but seem to emerge from no where at all. Like stream of consciousness thoughts inside a maths major's head on exam day. This amounts to many lists of numbers which should excite even the most stolid emotion-suppressing Vulcan. For someone who has their text-to-speech reader set at 125% normal speed this was slightly maddening.
And finally the historical asides that felt like appendices attached to every single feature of the story. I'm not a proper critic, y'all recognise that, but much like how someone who is good at something doesn't often need to say that aloud, I think perhaps a clever book with great references shouldn't need to point out that they were included. For Eg.: By the way there is a species known as the Vulcans who suppress their emotions in a fictional series called Star Trek. The Vulcans are portrayed as having great respect for mathematics which is why they were referenced in such a manner in the previous paragraph of this review.
Well, I read many nice words about the author before I got started. Of course, most of those were inside the book or on its cover. I wasn't familiar with the author's name but it seems as though he may be a considerable populariser of science education. Australia has a Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki who I guess may be comparable. I'm all for it, hugely for it in fact, bring science to the people! But it just isn't my cuppa.
I guess in conclusion, don't take my word for it, try it yourself.
It is part historical account, part mathematical encyclopedia and part time-travel scifi story.
The scifi story initially appealed greatly to me but it quickly became a pointless bore. You are time travelling with an alien back to meet the Pythagoreans. For some reason your alien pal regularly blurts out his surprise in French, "Mon Dieu!" Then as you make exceedingly obvious time travel blunders, like leaving a modern laptop in an ancient temple, changes to the timeline emerge starting with people having 6 fingers on each hand which is casually described as a "subtle difference." When you're eventually discovered by Pythagoras' wife, she joins in your adventures and you wind up fomenting a love affair in the most pedestrian manner. It's about this much that I could possibly bear, but it piles on with unstimulating dialogue and lazy plotting.
The mathematical marvels presented are fascinating in their own right, but seem to emerge from no where at all. Like stream of consciousness thoughts inside a maths major's head on exam day. This amounts to many lists of numbers which should excite even the most stolid emotion-suppressing Vulcan. For someone who has their text-to-speech reader set at 125% normal speed this was slightly maddening.
And finally the historical asides that felt like appendices attached to every single feature of the story. I'm not a proper critic, y'all recognise that, but much like how someone who is good at something doesn't often need to say that aloud, I think perhaps a clever book with great references shouldn't need to point out that they were included. For Eg.: By the way there is a species known as the Vulcans who suppress their emotions in a fictional series called Star Trek. The Vulcans are portrayed as having great respect for mathematics which is why they were referenced in such a manner in the previous paragraph of this review.
Well, I read many nice words about the author before I got started. Of course, most of those were inside the book or on its cover. I wasn't familiar with the author's name but it seems as though he may be a considerable populariser of science education. Australia has a Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki who I guess may be comparable. I'm all for it, hugely for it in fact, bring science to the people! But it just isn't my cuppa.
I guess in conclusion, don't take my word for it, try it yourself.
September 22, 2020
An unforgettable adventure into the mind, and the mysteries that marry mathematics and mysticism. I enjoyed the dichotomy of historical fiction and the science behind the stories, as well as the engaging tone of the author, from his anecdotes and prose to the web he weaves through the history of humanity. Would recommend to anyone with an interest in either or both topics!
April 1, 2011
This book blends science fiction with science fact in a very entertaining and enlightening way while describing the mysteries of the universe. An excellent reading experience that will expand your mind and entertain you in equal measure. Don't neglect this one!
April 14, 2023
Find it illuminating on many levels. Explains some questions.
September 30, 2025
The way Clifford A. Pickover made a story connect to multiple Sci-Fi scenes was truly impeccable, such a heavy topic with amazing storytelling.
November 20, 2013
Theomatics - maths + theology. As with most books by Pickover, there is a lot of math trivia, tricks and puzzles. I found the whole time-travelling self fictional plot quite tiring. Still some enjoyable nuggets in there.
March 5, 2014
Clifford Pickover's writing style is more like a jazz improv than like a stodgy scientific treatise. His eclectic techniques make his works both intriguing and, yes, occasionally infuriating, but reading Pickover is always ultimately fun and enriching.
September 11, 2010
LOL....
wish-list
May 8, 2011The title comes from a line on p.27 of Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow.
June 26, 2012
Very enjoyable book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews