Archive for June, 2015
i pulled my (dover edition of) cantor’s epoch-making
contributions to the founding of the theory of transfinite numbers
(one can evidently download it here)
yesterday to show tony from church;
he’d noticed my (prominently displayed)
copy of god created the integers
(hawking’s anthology of great math by math greats)
and mentioned “infinity” a few times in
my hearing, so it seemed like a natural.
and maybe it is… anyway, one does *not*
need a lot of high-tech “advanced math” to
read cantor’s stuff… and be just as mystified,
most likely, as most of the mathematicians
of cantor’s time (and many long after).
but i *should* have broken out the fourth dimension (w’edia),
by rudy rucker (w’edia).
tony’s *also* mentioned “the fourth dimension”
(as a concept) and *this* thing is bound to be
a whole lot more accessible than cantor.
i don’t know this particular rucker book at all well…
but i used his infinity and the mind in a class
long ago and’ve read some of his stories and whatnot.
rucker’s one of math’s best “popular” writers ever,
with a “transreal” SF-like vibe all his own.
i’d post more but my mouse is acting up again. damn it.
near the bookstore (etcetera). i’d pass it
on my way to and from lectures sometimes.
the livingston review 