Incompleteness: The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Godel (Great Discoveries)

A masterly introduction to the life and thought of the man who transformed our conception of math forever . Kurt Gödel is considered the greatest logician since Aristotle. His monumental theorem of incompleteness demonstrated that in every formal system of arithmetic there are true statements that nevertheless cannot be proved. The result was an upheaval that spread far beyond mathematics, challenging conceptions of the nature of the mind. Rebecca Goldstein, a MacArthur-winning novelist and philosopher, explains the philosophical vision that inspired Gödel's mathematics, and reveals the ironic twist that led to radical misinterpretations of his theorems by the trendier intellectual fashions of the day, from positivism to postmodernism. Ironically, both he and his close friend Einstein felt themselves intellectual exiles, even as their work was cited as among the most important in twentieth-century thought. For Gödel , the sense of isolation would have tragic consequences. This lucid and accessible study makes Gödel's theorem and its mindbending implications comprehensible to the general reader, while bringing this eccentric, tortured genius and his world to life. About the series: Great Discoveries brings together renowned writers from diverse backgrounds to tell the stories of crucial scientific breakthroughs—the great discoveries that have gone on to transform our view of the world. An Introduction To The Life And Thought Of Kurt Gödel, Who Transformed Our Conception Of Math Forever -- Provided By Publisher. A Platonist Among The Positivists -- Hilbert And The Formalists -- The Proof Of Incompleteness -- Gödel's Incompleteness. Rebecca Goldstein. Atlas Books. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 263-277) And Index. Kurt Godel was 18 when he arrived in Vienna to begin his studies at the university.