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I recall reading that Hofstadter said (loosely) GEB was taken more as a collection of neat things, than the coherent thesis about identity. I would personally
by LPTS 18y ago
I recall reading that Hofstadter said (loosely) GEB was taken more as a collection of neat things, than the coherent thesis about identity.
I would personally recommend reading I Am A Strange Loop, and then GEB if intrigued. This way, you will interpret GEB according to Hofstader's more explicit formulations of his deeper ideas, instead of in the more shallow way GEB can be interpreted, without following the thread about identity.
I think I Am A Strange Loop is classic and cannot say too much about how great Hofstadter is. He gets consciousness. He gets it. And he has good ways of communicating it. One of the most brilliant minds I have read.
- brfox 18y agoThanks for the opinions. I might give it a shot. It looks like you are from Seattle? Me too, send me an email, I work in biotech, and it looks like you might sort of also?
- hugh 18y agoI've read all his books except Strange Loop. I skimmed it in the bookstore, but it seemed like more of a rehash of ideas presented more interestingly in his other books. Personally I'd recommend starting with GEB.
- LPTS 18y agoI'd say it's a distillation, rather then a rehash, but I see what you mean.