As it overlaps with my PhD studies I can say I could follow the math, and it makes sense. Hofstaedter is kind of trying to create a layman version of a lot of theories that one will encounter when trying to understand calculability, and what computers can do (or not). As a musician, I could also follow his references to Bach; I had some issues with the genetics part, but my basic understanding in that field got me through OKish.
It’s a well written book aiming to provide some understanding to some curious issues our logic has with self-reference, without the need to, well, work on a PhD for a few years.
It wasn’t a total eye-opener as I knew most of the stuff from the science thingys I do, but it provides some interesting parallels in different fields that might be easily ignored as they fall in, well, different fields.
I have read it.
As it overlaps with my PhD studies I can say I could follow the math, and it makes sense. Hofstaedter is kind of trying to create a layman version of a lot of theories that one will encounter when trying to understand calculability, and what computers can do (or not). As a musician, I could also follow his references to Bach; I had some issues with the genetics part, but my basic understanding in that field got me through OKish.
It’s a well written book aiming to provide some understanding to some curious issues our logic has with self-reference, without the need to, well, work on a PhD for a few years.
It wasn’t a total eye-opener as I knew most of the stuff from the science thingys I do, but it provides some interesting parallels in different fields that might be easily ignored as they fall in, well, different fields.