The Opposition…

A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines

Janna Levin

Discussion: 2006-Jul-Aug-Sep

Why we're reading this: August 24, 2006
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2006-Jul-Aug-Sep

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* September 2006
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 8 views

last updated Dec 08, 2010 04:26PM

* August 2006
By Tiffany , WristStrong · 1 post · 7 views

last updated Dec 06, 2010 02:12AM

What Members Thought

Dec 06, 2010 Tiffany rated it it was ok

Shelves: geekature, group_read, tds_tcr, historicalfiction, math-numbers

This is a historical fiction story mainly about Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing, but also touching on Moritz Schlick, Otto and Olga Neurath, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Before starting this book, I had some knowledge of Gödel and Turing from previous readings. I've read Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, as well as Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Godel, Alan Turing: The Enigma, and The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer (and if I remember correct This is a historical fiction story mainly about Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing, but also touching on Moritz Schlick, Otto and Olga Neurath, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Before starting this book, I had some knowledge of Gödel and Turing from previous readings. I've read Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, as well as Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Godel, Alan Turing: The Enigma, and The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer (and if I remember correctly, Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid also mentions Turing).

While those readings gave me a basis for some of the theories discussed in this book, I don't think it's necessary to know background information about the people in the story, since Levin describes all the major aspects anyway, such as Turing's torment at boarding school, and relays some of the men's theories through conversations they have with others or in their own minds. I think if I hadn't read the books I've already read about them, Levin would be giving me the highlights of what those other books hold, and I'd be no worse for the wear not reading those other books beforehand. Reading those in-depth books gave me more knowledge than Levin gave me, but that extra knowledge wasn't necessary to get at least the gist of what goes on in the story.

Levin's prose is beautiful, and the characters' stories are all heartbreaking. I also appreciate how Levin points out, and plays off, the parallels between the two men's thinking about God, free will, and the math universe. However, I kept thinking that this book isn't *necessary*... It was a good story, and beautiful writing, but my life wouldn't be any less if I hadn't read it. Perhaps this would be a good introduction to Gödel's and Turing's philosophies if I hadn't already read those other books; if that were the case, this probably would have been a lovely and accessible doorway to that knowledge. Since I have read those books, though, this one just wasn't necessary, and was short, too! Thus, two stars -- it was okay. Better than didn't like it, less good than liked it. ...more

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