Labyrinths of Reason: Paradox, Puzzles, and the Frailty of Knowledge

We conceive of and describe the world in ways that usually work just fine, but in the far corners of the labyrinth of reason, our best intentions fold back on themselves, and we end up trapped in an intractable loop or tumbling down a chute of infinite regress. Labyrinths of Reason is a collection of classic philosophical thought experiments and other imponderables that push reason and language to their logical limits. Beyond just idle brainteasers, William Poundstone shows that these mental exercises have profound implications for such fields as cryptography, decision theory, subatomic physics, and computer programming. But most of all, they're good, clean philosophical fun!

"In a dazzling tour de force, Poundstone leads us through a series of paradoxes that move from Sherlock Holmes's puzzles to time travel, from dismembered brains in vats to multiple worlds, from the libraries of Atlantis to black holes. Eminently accessible, this delightful rapid-fire entertainment will appeal to readers of Douglas Hofstadter's G odel, Escher, Bach ," remarked PW . Illustrated.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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