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Books matching: the nature of infinity

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Showing 1 - 7 of 7 
  1. #1

    The Book of Sand by Jorge Luis Borges, Norman Thomas di Giovanni
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    The Book of Sand by Jorge Luis Borges is a collection of surreal short stories that explore the concept of time and being. The stories delve into themes such as books and libraries, nameless strangers, intersections of the past and present, bards and skalds, Christianity's pagan roots, architecture, mathematics, and unreliable first-person narrators. Each story in the collection shares a reflective and somber tone, often leading to a sense of resignation in the face of the inscrutable universe. The title story, "The Book of Sand," tells the tale of a man who encounters a mysterious book with infinite pages, leading to a series of philosophical questions and a sense of being trapped by its endlessness.


  2. #2

    The Infinities by John Banville
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    'The Infinities' by John Banville is a novel that intertwines the final days of Adam Godley, a mathematician on his death bed, with the mischievous meddling of Greek gods, particularly Hermes, son of Zeus, who narrates most of the tale. The story unfolds as the gods observe and interfere in the lives of the mortal characters, creating a unique blend of family drama and divine intervention. The writing style is described as clever, erudite, and poetic, with rich descriptive language that evokes vivid imagery and a seamless incorporation of Greek mythology into the narrative.

    The plot revolves around a single day where the Godley family gathers to bid farewell to Adam, revealing the complex relationships and emotional baggage of the characters. Banville's narrative technique includes flashbacks and multiple narrators, providing insights into the past and future of the characters. The novel is praised for its tight writing, plausible storytelling, and the exploration of themes like mortality, human frailty, and the interplay between the finite and infinite worlds.

    Of the things we fashioned for them that they might be comforted, dawn is the one that works. When darkness sifts from the air like fine soft soot and light spreads slowly out of the east then all but...

  3. #3

    The Library of Babel by Jorge Luis Borges
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    'The Library of Babel' by Jorge Luis Borges is a collection of short stories that delve into philosophical and existential themes. The title story, 'The Library of Babel', presents a universe that is depicted as an endless library filled with books containing random permutations of letters. This story, along with others in the collection, explores concepts of infinity, knowledge, and the nature of reality through thought-provoking narratives and intricate storytelling. Borges's writing style is characterized by his ability to create complex and abstract worlds that challenge readers to question the boundaries of human understanding.


  4. 'The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World' by David Deutsch delves into the philosophy of explanatory knowledge, challenging established beliefs in inductivism, empiricism, instrumentalism, positivism, and postmodernism. It explores the concept that good explanations are those that are hard to vary and do not involve the supernatural. Deutsch discusses the universality of human capacity for explanation and construction, the evolution of memes, and the idea that all reliable ideas start with a conjecture and are continuously tested against new ideas. also touches on parallel universes, the infinite nature of knowledge gain, and the importance of good explanations in shaping our understanding of the world.

    To unaided human eyes, the universe beyond our solar system looks like a few thousand glowing dots in the night sky, plus the faint, hazy streaks of the Milky Way. But if you ask an astronomer what is...

  5. 'Infinity and the Mind: The Science and Philosophy of the Infinite' by Rudy Rucker delves into the intricate concepts of infinity, exploring transfinite numbers, paradoxes, and the one-many problem. The book provides an in-depth look at the mathematics involved, including the works of prominent figures like Godel, Einstein, and Turing. Rucker's writing style is described as tackling complex ideas with a mix of detailed explanations and philosophical musings, making it a challenging yet thought-provoking read for those interested in the concept of infinity.

    Infinity commonly inspires feelings of awe, futility, and fear. Who as a child did not lie in bed filled with a slowly mounting terror while sinking into the idea of a universe that goes on and on, fo...

  6. #6

    The Book of Sand and Shakespeare's Memory by Jorge Luis Borges
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    The Book of Sand and Shakespeare's Memory by Jorge Luis Borges is a collection of short stories that delve into hidden worlds, evoking distant sadness and mystery in readers. Borges' writing style is described as calm, quiet, yet unsettling and thought-provoking, taking readers on a journey through fantastical plots that pay homage to other literary giants like H.G. Wells and H.P. Lovecraft. The stories cover themes such as the perfect one-word poem, a book with no end, and the complexities of Shakespeare's memory, showcasing Borges' ability to captivate readers with brevity and clarity.


  7. #7

    Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges
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    Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges is a collection of short stories that delve into imaginative and thought-provoking realms, exploring concepts such as missing encyclopedia entries, expansive imaginary worlds, and the blurring of reality and fiction. Borges' writing style is described as powerful, dense, and philosophical, with stories that challenge readers to think deeply about literature, language, and the nature of knowledge. The book is a labyrinth of intricate narratives, surreal settings, and metafictional elements that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling.

    I owe the discovery of Uqbar to the conjunction of a mirror and an encyclopedia. The unnerving mirror hung at the end of a corridor in a villa on Calle Goana, in Ramos Mejía; the misleading encycloped...

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