Forever Undecided by Raymond M Smullyan
This book provides an introduction to Kurt Godel's theorems through a collection of puzzles interspersed with an account of symbolic logic. Godel's argument has been transferred from the formal domain of mathematical systems in an attempt to make its essential ideas more accessible to the general reader. The primary emphasis is on belief systems and how they are related to systems of mathematics. This leads to the subject of possible world semantics which plays a role in computer science and artificial intelligence.
Raymond Smullyan received his PhD from Princeton University and taught at Dartmouth, Princeton, Indiana University, and New York's Lehman College. Best known for his mathematical and creative logic puzzles and games, he was also a concert pianist and a magician. He wrote over a dozen books of logic puzzles and texts on mathematical logic. Raymond Smullyan: The Merry Prankster
Raymond Smullyan (1919-2017), mathematician, logician, magician, creator of extraordinary puzzles, philosopher, pianist, and man of many parts. The first Dover book by Raymond Smullyan was First-Order Logic (1995). Recent years have brought a number of his magical books of logic and math puzzles: The Lady or the Tiger (2009); Satan, Cantor and Infinity (2009); an original, never-before-published collection, King Arthur in Search of His Dog and Other Curious Puzzles (2010); and Set Theory and the Continuum Problem (with Melvin Fitting, also reprinted by Dover in 2010). More will be coming in subsequent years.
Raymond Smullyan (1919-2017), mathematician, logician, magician, creator of extraordinary puzzles, philosopher, pianist, and man of many parts. The first Dover book by Raymond Smullyan was First-Order Logic (1995). Recent years have brought a number of his magical books of logic and math puzzles: The Lady or the Tiger (2009); Satan, Cantor and Infinity (2009); an original, never-before-published collection, King Arthur in Search of His Dog and Other Curious Puzzles (2010); and Set Theory and the Continuum Problem (with Melvin Fitting, also reprinted by Dover in 2010). More will be coming in subsequent years.
In the Author's Own Words:
Recently, someone asked me if I believed in astrology. He seemed somewhat puzzled when I explained that the reason I don't is that I'm a Gemini.
Some people are always critical of vague statements. I tend rather to be critical of precise statements: they are the only ones which can correctly be labeled 'wrong.' -- Raymond Smullyan
Critical Acclaim for The Lady or the Tiger:
Another scintillating collection of brilliant problems and paradoxes by the most entertaining logician and set theorist who ever lived. -- Martin Gardner
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780192821966 |
| ISBN 10 | 0192821962 |
| Title | Forever Undecided |
| Author | Raymond M Smullyan |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Year published | 1988-08-18 |
| Number of pages | 272 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |