Average Bufph Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Douglas R. Hofstadter
1999-02-05
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
A metaphorical fugue on minds and machines in the spirit of Lewis Carroll
Douglas Hofstadter's book is concerned directly with the nature of "maps" or links between formal systems. However, according to Hofstadter, the formal system that underlies all mental activity transcends the system that supports it. If life can grow out of the formal chemical substrate of the cell, if consciousness can emerge out of a formal system of firing neurons, then so too will computers attain human intelligence. Gödel, Escher, Bach is a wonderful exploration of fascinating ideas at the heart of cognitive science: meaning, reduction, recursion, and much more.
Hofstadter's work is a cerebral tapestry interweaving mathematics, art, and music to explore the nature of human thought and consciousness. The interdisciplinary approach is intellectually stimulating, and the analogies between the works of Gödel, Escher, and Bach offer a nuanced perspective on cognition and self-reference. While the book demands a rigorous engagement, the rewards are a profound appreciation of the interconnectedness of art and science. The technical precision with which Hofstadter constructs his arguments is commendable, though at times, the complexity may border on the esoteric.
