Infinity and the Mind: The Science and Philosophy of the Infinite (Princeton Science Library)

**A dynamic exploration of infinity** In __Infinity and the Mind__, Rudy Rucker leads an excursion to that stretch of the universe he calls the “Mindscape,” where he explores infinity in all its forms: potential and actual, mathematical and physical, theological and mundane. Using cartoons, puzzles, and quotations to enliven his text, Rucker acquaints us with staggeringly advanced levels of infinity, delves into the depths beneath daily awareness, and explains Kurt Gödel’s belief in the possibility of robot consciousness. In the realm of infinity, mathematics, science, and logic merge with the fantastic. By closely examining the paradoxes that arise, we gain profound insights into the human mind, its powers, and its limitations. This Princeton Science Library edition includes a new preface by the author. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface to the 2019 Edition Preface to the 2005 Edition Preface to the 1995 Paperback Edition Preface to the First Edition Chapter One: Infinity Chapter Two: All the Numbers Chapter Three: The Unnameable Chapter Four: Robots and Souls Chapter Five: The One and the Many Excursion One: The Transfinite Cardinals Excursion Two: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems Answers to the Puzzles and Paradoxes Notes Bibliography Index The symbol for infinity that one sees most often is the lazy eight curve, technically called the lemniscate.