Beyond Reason: Eight Great Problems That Reveal the Limits of Science - Hardcover

Dewdney, A. K.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471013986 ISBN 13: 9780471013983

Publisher: Wiley, 2004

Synopsis

Beyond Reason Are some scientific problems insoluble? Are there aspects of the universe, such as the true nature of consciousness, that will forever be beyond the grasp of science? In Beyond Reason, internationally acclaimed maths and science author A.K. Full description

About this title

Review

"...appropriate for general readership...should prove as popular as his other books..." (Short Book Reviews, Vol.24, No.3, December 2004)

"...an intelligent book with considerable enthusiasm..." (Materials World, Vol.13, No.1)

"...one of the most rewarding science reads I have had the pleasure of in a long time...."(Chemistry & Industry, 17 January 2005)

"...fascinating...keeps firmly to the areas of science where the impossibility is demonstrable." (Fortean Times, No 189, November 2004)

"...looks closely at eight great problems that reveal the limits of science..." (Materials World, September 2004)

Dewdney (A Mathematical Mystery Tour), best known for the Scientific American column "Computer Recreations," which he wrote for eight years, sets an impressive goal for himself: "to discover how physical reality depends on mathematical reality, and to examine how mathematical reality manifests itself." He attempts to do this by outlining four problems in the physical realm and four in the mathematical realm that he believes can never be solved. The topics he discusses are largely of great interest to science and math buffs: perpetual motion, the speed of light, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, chaos theory, squaring the circle, unprovable but true mathematical theorems, "simple" problems that no computer program can solve, and the fact that some mathematical problems would require an infinite amount of computer time to solve. In his chapter on chaos theory, for example, Dewdney does a very nice job of explaining why we will never be able to predict the weather accurately more than four days in advance. The problem throughout the book, however, is that he alternates between colorful prose or explanations of basic terms (such as "primary number") and relatively dense mathematics (transcendental and transfinite numbers), never settling on who the appropriate audience for this study might be. B&w illus. Agent, Linda McKnight. (May) (Publishers Weekly, April 5th, 2004)

From the Back Cover

PRAISE FOR A.K. DEWDNEY'S PREVIOUS WORKS

200% of Nothing

"It is impossible to read this timely, important book without enjoyment and eye-opening enlightment." -Martin Gardner

"In today's world 'innumeracy' is an even greater danger than illiteracy, and is perhaps more common.... I hope that this wise and witty book will provide cures where they are possible, and warnings where they are necessary. It's also a lot of fun. I can guarantee that 100 percent." -Arthur C. Clarke

Yes, We Have No Neutrons

"We need more books like this-especially if they're this much fun to read."-Wired

"Written with wit and a touch of pathos-and sure to please science lovers." -Publishers Weekly

The Planiverse

"It's not everyone who gets to design a universe from scratch but A.K. Dewdney has done just that."-The Boston Globe

"Once you have been captivated by the two-dimensional Ardean world, the problems facing its difficult technology haunt you, begging for more solutions. Arde easily becomes a puzzle without end." -The New York Times

A Mathematical Mystery Tour

"Dewdney spins an absorbing narrative...an amenable introduction to a difficult subject." -Publishers Weekly

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0471013986
• ISBN 13: 9780471013983
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240