Book Description
You would be hard-pressed to find someone who categorically opposes protecting the environment, yet most people would agree that the environmentalist movement has been ineffectual and even misguided. Some argue that its agenda is misplaced, oppressive, and misanthropic—a precursor to intrusive government, regulatory bungles, and economic stagnation. Others point out that its alarmist rhetoric and preservationist solutions are outdated and insufficient to the task of galvanizing support for true reform.
In this impassioned and judicious work, R. Bruce Hull argues that environmentalism will never achieve its goals unless it sheds its fundamentalist logic. The movement is too bound up in polarizing ideologies that pit humans against nature, conservation against development, and government regulation against economic growth. Only when we acknowledge the infinite perspectives on how people should relate to nature will we forge solutions that are respectful to both humanity and the environment.
Infinite Nature explores some of these myriad perspectives, from the scientific understandings proffered by anthropology, evolution, and ecology, to the promise of environmental responsibility offered by technology and economics, to the designs of nature envisioned in philosophy, law, and religion. Along the way, Hull maintains that the idea of nature is social: in order to reach the common ground where sustainable and thriving communities are possible, we must accept that many natures can and do exist.
Incisive, heartfelt, and brimming with practical solutions, Infinite Nature brings a much-needed and refreshing voice to the table of environmental reform.
Customer Reviews:
What does nature mean to you?.......2007-01-13
What does the mention of "nature" bring to mind? Nurturing and providing, or competitive and indifferent? Known and measured, or mysterious and chaotic? Pure and clean, or pestilential? In his book, Infinite Nature, Dr. R. Bruce Hull challenges us to choose.
Dr. Hull begins by introducing the concept of environmental fundamentalism. In his view, assuming a fundamentalist stance risks a narrowed perception, restricting the safe space where common interests can coexist. In taking a fundamentalist view, we may miss the larger texture of existence, or worse, dismiss those issues we fear and therefore fail to deal with them effectively. Dispassionate and fearless investigation could confirm and strengthen our views; it could enlarge them, or cause them to change.
However, if one embraces the concept of environmental pluralism, the notion arises that all participants in the science, spirit, politics and industry of "nature" can gather together cooperatively at the world's table. The planet being what it is - not a banquet of limitless supply - we must investigate all fact and all opinion, or risk missing essential information that could forestall a more difficult future for ourselves and our offspring.
Dr. Hull suggests "many natures and many lessons to learn from them," and he has titled his chapters, to cite a few: "Evolving Nature," "Rightful Nature," "Aesthetic Nature," "Moral Nature." These chapters contain various reflections about the price of a life, environmental racism, recreation, forestry, history, faith, health, and work.
As a series of chapters containing individual essays, the book lends itself well to small-bite reading. Open it anywhere; each chapter grabs the reader's interest immediately. It's a book that's easy to keep coming back to. It inspires one to think, to learn something new and to be driven to learn more.
Infinite Nature is not a macabre reflection on a future-less Malthusian world, but it does encourage us to ask why humanity often fails to respond in the face of obvious environmental catastrophe: we may distrust the message or the messenger; we may be so pessimistic as to believe that nothing can be done; our political or religious beliefs may indicate we need do nothing; we just might be too tired to act. Any such reasons might be legitimate, but Dr. Hull asks us to confront these controlling factors with an open mind and heart in order to answer the question: "What kind of world do I want to live in?"
While Dr. Hull unabashedly reveals his deep love of the natural world, there is a refreshing lack of preaching and moralizing within the book's covers. Infinite Nature insists that we make our own investigations and draw our own conclusions. Dr. Hull not only provides us with an entertaining and informative read, but also provokes us to ponder, and delight in, our place in the world.
(Fall 2006 issue of Virginia Forests, publication of The Virginia Forestry Association)
A 'must' for any who would promote environmental consciousness as a valid objective for human growth and interests.......2006-07-25
The direction of environmentalism for the 21st century is floundering, facing rigid ideologies which offer rhetoric pitting man against nature and conservation objectives against growth and development: that's why INFINITE NATURE'S message is so important an alternative. Chapters draw on a range of disciplines to promote environmental solutions which not only foster ecological practices, but enhance human objectives in the process. A 'must' for any who would promote environmental consciousness as a valid objective for human growth and interests.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Book Description
Merely a decade ago there were no known planets orbiting sunlike stars outside our own solar system. In the past ten years, however, fast-paced developments in astronomy have revealed over 140 extrasolar planets--with more discoveries surely on the way. Though it will be years before we have direct images of these far-flung worlds, this lavishly illustrated book gives us an idea of what they might look like. A fascinating exploration of the cosmos written for a wide audience, Infinite Worlds brings together Lynette Cook's internationally renowned astronomical artwork, the latest and most dramatic images from the world's top observatories, and up-to-the-minute scientific findings on subjects ranging from the big bang and stellar evolution to a possible universe filled with countless planets and life forms.
The newly discovered planets are boggling astronomers' minds with their bizarre characteristics, including an unimagined diversity of sizes and orbits. In Lynette Cook's scientifically based illustrations--many newly created for this book--we glimpse the landscapes and atmospheres that might adorn these planets. Ray Villard's text elegantly describes the state of astronomy today, imagines where it will take us in the coming years, ponders the chances of success for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and explores the survivability of life in an evolving and accelerating universe.
Customer Reviews:
Mind Expanding.......2007-02-10
The text and artwork in this volume are first class. The art is exceptionally beautiful and is only enhanced by the story. Together, they bring together what we know with what is likely and expands that to a universe of pure possibility. There's nothing dry about this marvelous work. Infinite Worlds is noteworthy accomplishment.
reminds me of Bonestall's paintings.......2006-11-05
The images are everything in this book. Not that the text is badly written. Far from it. But the text is clearly subordinate to letting you see the imagination of many talented artists, as they depict worlds in other planetary systems. Speculative, but based on solid science. And astronomers now have detected over 200 worlds. The book explains how from sometimes single pixels, information is teased out about a world. Impressive. We now have detected enough worlds that we can start talking of classifications and statistics across worlds.
What the book clearly leads up to is a desire for more, better images. Well, you will have to wait at least 10 years, as new telescopes are being constructed.
Science fiction readers might compare these paintings to those made decades ago by Chesley Bonestall. His were necessarily more imaginative. But both types can be very evocative.
Different book than the title might suggest........2006-05-17
The title of this book is "Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets beyond our Sun". However, only a fraction of the book actually deals with extrasolar planets. I purchased this book based on the assumption that it would be about extrasolar planets. Instead most of the book is based on theories of galaxy formations, birth and death of stars and planets, and theoretical extraterrestrial life. It also describes our Solar System in detail. The artwork is very good although other space artists I have seen on the internet have superior artistic ability than Cook. Overall, though, this is still an interesting book. But potential readers should know that this is not a book about extrasolar planets.
nice but flawed.......2005-09-21
excellent atrwork of the highest standard; would have been nice to have mentioned HD114762, the FIRST extrasolar planet discovered by the center for astrophysics in 1989.
Infinitely enjoyable...........2005-06-22
A very delightful book. The writing by Ray Villard was surprisingly different than most "astro books" by *not* sounding like a textbook. There are many interesting facts and tidbits that I had not heard before that made reading it quite interesting. Lyn's art of course made the book. There are dozens of her trademark-styled images, each illustrating what the writer is saying. I particularly liked Lyn's use of stratus layers in the landscapes. Five of the images must have taken ages to paint with all the layers in there (Greenhouse Earth on pg 49, HD 16141 b and Moon on pg 108, Planet in the Virgo Cluster on pg 190, Terrestrial Planet at 55 Cancri on pg 171, and Planet Near the Siamese Squid Nebula on pg 53). The Siamese Squid image is really eye-catching with it's pink and green layers and Planet at 55 Cancri is a gorgeous painting in brilliant reds and yellows of sunset. Lyn's attention to the way the waves of the lake curve and reflect the light is just amazing, as is the detailed way the shadows of the rocks fall on the water. This is my favorite image of the book. Another very effective painting is HD 177830 b and Moon on pg 117, a beautiful image of a habitable moon orbiting a Saturnian-like panet. Imagine the night view beings on this planet would have! In fact, I found almost every image in the book to be excellent and inspiring. All-in-all, Lyn's done a remarkable job in this book, definitely a "must add" to your astronomical art collection.
Book Description
Renowned scholar Robert Adams explores the relation between religion and ethics through a comprehensive philosophical account of a theistically-based framework for ethics. Adams' framework begins with the good rather than the right, and with excellence rather than usefulness. He argues that loving the excellent, of which adoring God is a clear example, is the most fundamental aspect of a life well lived. Developing his original and detailed theory, Adams contends that devotion, the sacred, grace, martyrdom, worship, vocation, faith, and other concepts drawn from religious ethics have been sorely overlooked in moral philosophy and can enrich the texture of ethical thought.
Customer Reviews:
Complex Philosophy of Divine and Creaturely Love.......2004-09-01
Metaphysician and moral philosopher, Robert Merrihew Adams, offers an elaborate framework for ethics based upon divine love as the ultimate good. Adams understands God as the Good itself, which means that the Good is a concrete personal individual. In Adams' metaphysics, God plays the part of the form of the beautiful in Plato's thought. God as the supreme Good transcends all other goods.
Adams believes that God's existence is metaphysically necessary, and those properties that fit God follow necessarily from the divine nature. The supreme Good is one aspect of the divine nature. This means that the only limits upon God are those that follow from God's own nature. Love is a necessary aspect of the divine nature, but God's preferences and actions as expressions of love are contingent. "The freedom ascribed to God does not include, as ours does, a possibility of desiring or choosing those ends that are rightly counted as bad" (48). This means that the standard of goodness is defined by the divine nature and thus is good for all possible worlds.
According to Adams' theory, what counts as good is not reducible to any human view about what the good is. The good is not fully accountable by any empirical test. Rather, the realm of value is organized around a transcendent good that is God. This means that the nature of value cannot be confined to the horizon of the physical or human world.
Adams makes a distinction between well-being and excellence. He notes that most contemporary thought focuses mainly upon well-being, or what is good for a person. Adams' own theory places primary importance upon excellence. Excellence implies a goodness in itself rather than goodness for another. Interest in well-being is secondary to the greater interest in excellence. What is good for a person is the living of a life characterized by the enjoyment of that which is excellent.
In the second segment of the book, Adams addresses what it means for individuals to love the good. The appropriate ethical relation is to be for the good, which entails loving it. God expresses eros in that God loves the good. Instead of understanding divine love as pure benevolence, Adams entertains seriously the notion that God desires relationship with creatures. This non-instrumental interest in relationships and excellences is part of what it means for both God and creatures to love. Adams considers what divine grace entails, arguing that it is a fundamental aspect of divine love. "Grace is love that is not completely explained by the excellence of its object" (151). While Adams claims that it would be absurd to suppose that all love excludes instrumental interest in the beloved, he also claims that love requires an interest in the beloved that is not merely instrumental. "Even divine love would be the richer rather than the poorer for finding value in the beloved" (165). Ideal love finds its reasons in the non-comparative appreciation of an object. This means that God's love is directed to things that are good, but it is not dominated by caring about whether these things are the best. Adams concludes this section with chapters on devotion, idolatry, and the value symbols.
Adams labels the third part of the book, "The Good and the Right." According to him, the good provides a proper framework for thinking about what is right and not the other way around. What is good has a fundamentally social aspect. Adams incorporates his theistic vision in chapter eleven by arguing that it is only the commands of a definitively good God that are candidates for defining what is human moral obligation. A main advantage of divine command theory of the nature of moral obligation, argues Adams, is that it satisfies the demand for objective moral requirements. There are a range of possibilities for how these commands are communicated or revealed by God. These possibilities may include scriptural texts, utterances of prophets, requirements of human communities, individual intuitions, etc. Signs that occur in time and place note these commands.
After examining the story of Abraham and Isaac, Adams concludes "that in any cultural context in which it is possible to worry about Abraham's Dilemma, it will hardly be credible that a good God has commanded the sort of sacrifice that is envisaged here" (290). "I think it is the part of religious as well as moral wisdom to dismiss all thoughts of our actually being commanded by God to practice something as horrible as human sacrifice. The question whether God commands such a thing should stay off our epistemological agenda as long as it possibly can, which I expect will be forever" (291).
The question of love and obligation leads to an inquiry into vocation. Adams defines vocation as "a call from God, a command, or perhaps an invitation addressed to a particular individual, to act and live in a certain way" (301). Direct and unambiguous commands from God are extremely rare, argues Adams, which means that conflicting values and obligations in any situation need to be thought about critically before interpreting these as communicating a divine command. The concept of vocation helps to solve the issue of whether or not creatures can love all other creatures. A divine call to love some persons and some kind of goods provides a way of understanding one's vocation. These questions of vocation lead naturally to the concluding part of Adams' book, which address the epistemology of value.
Thomas Jay Oord
Book Description
Should we have compassion and respect for creeping, buzzing, stinging creatures? Joanne Lauck says yesâand challenges the reader to view six- and eight-legged beings as messengers, guides, initiatory figures, and friends. Drawing on myth, touching and funny anecdotes, Native American wisdom, and science, Lauck shows how we can live in harmony with insects, healing an inner aspect of ourselves in the process.
Customer Reviews:
Food for Thought on the Insect-Human Connection.......2005-08-25
Joanne Lauck's book "The Voice of the Infinite in the Small," starts with the very intriguing premise that we humans tend to demonize the smaller six, eight and multi-legged creatures around us, while these have their place in nature and are often important in our own survival (where would we be without pollination!) As a professional biologist who has specialized in arthropods, I could not agree more on this point. Indeed, Lauck has brought together some most intriguing imagery and fascinating myths and metaphors into a discussion that I think was long overdue. As a professional I constantly hear complaints from people about some harmless or nearly harmless arthropod, such as any spider, certain innocuous true bugs and beetles, or house centipedes that they think should be immediately wiped off the face of the earth.
That said I think Lauck also makes some fairly serious blunders and depends too much on very questionable authority. I find some of her supposedly true stories (such as bees visiting the grave of a dead bee keeper or people making pacts with Japanese beetles) to be pretty difficult to swallow and she is totally wrong on several "facts" about flies and arachnids. One (perhaps minor, but none the less irritating) example is the old legend that male deer bot flies can fly hundreds of miles an hour. This tall tale was based on a totally mistaken calculation made by C. H. Tyler Townsend, a late nineteenth and early twentieth Century entomologist, who guesstimated that to be a blur a male deer bot fly had to be traveling at least 500 mph! In actuality they need only be flying no more than 35 mph! To be traveling at 500 mph, the bot flies would use up a huge amount of energy and the resulting turbulence would tear off their wings! On a more serious note I am quite reluctant to give blood to mosquitoes (although I have given my share involuntarily to be sure!) and am also a bit leery about being too cavalier about mosquito-born diseases. Eventually we may make our peace with a parasite like the malarial plasmodium, but it is only after a period of adjustment during which many of us may suffer as much as the insects. It is easy to contemplate these problems from a distance when one does not have to stand by the bed of a child dying from dengue, yellow fever or malaria! As to friendly scorpions, I would be willing (and in fact have done so) to hold a big black Pandinus (Emperor) scorpion (which are pretty docile and not especially venomous), but definitively not a "death stalker" (Leiurus sp.) or fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus spp.) Only a fool would handle either of these two directly. Encouraging anyone to hold such dangerous creatures is a very bad idea!
I, indeed, would take the middle way (and I can only speak for myself in this). I believe that one should not go out of ones way to do harm to other creatures and that deliberately killing another organism is excusable for only three reasons (one being very human). The first is need for sustenance (including protecting food crops from pests, although not to the level of broad-spectrum pesticide use we have employed in the past)- I have heard that even the Delhi Lama eats meat every other day because of a metabolic problem. The second is to protect oneself and others from disease or envenomation - at least some, if not most mosquitoes, ticks, lice and fleas, as well as some scorpions and spiders, may fall under this- Bubonic plague or dengue are not fun diseases to get and I am not going to wait around for them to become more benign! The final reason I would grant (being a scientist) is to gain knowledge of the natural world, in part to help protect it in the long term and to maintain a body of knowledge that would help us understand the relationships and dynamics of the biota. I would put some constraints on this activity- as organisms become better known I see them being more valuable alive than in a collection. Thus most mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, marine mollusks and a few others, like butterflies, can currently be monitored without usually taking physical samples. The eventual goal would be to eliminate the need for collecting, although this may take more time for some groups like beetles or higher flies.
That said I admire Lauck for bringing the subject up and hope that some of her wonder and respect for the insect world would permeate society more than at present. We need not kill every creature that causes us fear. However, to discriminate properly in an all too imperfect world we need to arm ourselves with some knowledge.
Read this book for some inspiration for ways to get along with the insect world (which as Lauck points out, is also our own), but also with a carefully critical eye.
Ms Lauck Gives A Beautiful Voice To The Insect World.......2005-03-26
The prevailing attitudes towards insects are mostly antagonistic or ambivalent, and certainly, uninformed. In the concrete covered human world that has distanced itself from Nature and realitiy, we are daily subjected to the perverse messages delivered through commercials by profit greedy pesticide companies about the nasty, stinging, dirty, disease carryings bugs. By now, though, we should all be able to see through that snake-oil facade, but how about the "bad bug" disinformation passed along by good intentioned, but uninformed teachers, parents, et al?
Lauck's "Voice of the Infinite" covers all the bases of the intentional to the inadvertant adverse propaganda campaigns against insects and goes much further by introducing us to their beautiful world- bug by bug. Reading this book will let you "walk" with bugs and hear their song. Unless one's heart is stone cold, one will come to know exactly what empathy and admiration for insects is all about.
What is the purpose of a bug as annoying as a flee or mosquito? Read this book! You still might not want to hang out with them, but you will most likely see them in a different and less antagonistic light. Those who have embraced the wisdom and insight of Rachel Carson's book, "Silent Spring", will certainly enjoy Joanne Elizabeth Lauck's book.
And another beautiful tale of finding admiration and empathy for critters is mentioned in Lauck's book and that is: J. Allen Boone's "Kinship With All Life", the true story about "Freddie" the fly. This book is the story of Boone finding mental connections to Freddie and all other animals. Thanks to Ms Lauck for referencing that book!
A wonderful and much-needed new perspective.......2003-10-09
Thomas Berry, the famed theologian and cultural historian who wrote the introduction to this book, makes a perfect statement: "The time has come for humans and insects to turn toward each other. Such is our way to wisdom, the source of our healing, our guidance into the twenty-first century." Joanne Lauck has made a wonderful contribution to those of us seeking to transform ourselves as we travel our spiritual pathways. This book (herein referred to as The Voice) is not a study of insects, it's not a scientific book and it doesn't pretend to be. It's more than that. The Voice offers a new perspective to life, to all that is beautiful and wonderful on this planet; it opens the doorway for us to consider insects in all their splendor and beauty and as necessary beings for the balance of all life. The many stories and myths, woven into facts about insects, make for fascinating reading. For me, reading The Voice brought to my attention the dusty corners of my mind, those places that held prejudices I didn't even know existed. Not just against certain insects--I was forced to look beyond them. Reading The Voice proved to be exciting, educational, rewarding, eye-opening and, finally, a critical step on my spiritual journey. Since then, I've gifted others with the book. An acquaintance named Robert, who reads The Voice while sitting with the insects, tells me time and time again that he looks at the world differently now; his vision is much larger than it was before he began establishing a relationship with insects. The insects welcome him. The bees especially have been offering their friendship--they walk back and forth along the top of his glasses in greeting, then explore the gentleness of Robert's hands. Robert is in the healing profession, and he admits that as he is changing, so also is his work changing. Such is the impact of Ms. Lauck's book. I highly recommend it!
A book for animal lovers.......2003-10-06
I am going to buy this book for every animal lover on my Christmas list! It changes your mind and heart about insects and spiders without preaching or giving you a bunch of boring scientific facts. It could have been called "Insect Angels" like the Animal Animals book since its major theme of insects as messengers weaves through all the chapters. My favorite chapter was on insects in dreams because the author explains how even frightening dreams can have a positive message that can help you. I'll never look at an insect in the same way after reading this book.
Highly unusual approach to these creatures.......2003-10-06
The Voice of the Infinite in the Small is a psychological and spiritual look at one of the most broken relationships we have with nature, namely our relationship to insects and related creatures. Turning the spotlight on people, instead of on the insects, Lauck reveals a blind spot in the culture, our fear-based hatred of what is different and our cherished and unexamined perceptions which in essence deny the creature. Lauck is a layperson and a storyteller-not a scientist or entomologist-and is clear about her motives for writing this unusual book-to raise awareness about our projections that have made these creatures our enemies and to return them to the role of messenger, both in the environment and in the human psyche. The connections she makes to the spiritual traditions are wise and illuminating and the writing eloquent. The cover is a bit misleading as it looks like a traditional resource book on insects. In fact it looks like a book by an entomologist and that is unfortunate. Those drawn to looking at insects as specimens and who believe entomologists are the only ones who should write about these kinds of creatures are not going to like her approach at all. I loved it though and so will anyone who accepts that life is not random but is driven by an unseen world and spiritual forces that are ultimately benevolent. I would highly recommend this book. It is truly one of a kind.
Amazon.com
When we look at a majestic scene in nature, it is hard to believe that our appreciation of its beauty would have been completely foreign to an observer four centuries ago. In Mountain Gloom and Mountain Glory, Marjorie Hope Nicolson argues that the rise of an aesthetic appreciation of nature's grandeur in English writing did not originate with exposure to Italian landscape painting, Orientalism, or the concept of the sublime in art, as have been postulated. Rather, Nicolson demonstrates a direct line of sentiment from Henry More, to Thomas Burnet, John Dennis, Anthony Shaftesbury, and Joseph Addison, and then to the Romantics, in which modern concepts such as infinity and regularity gradually develop into an acceptance of the magnificence of nature as a reflection of God. Originally published in 1959, this book's reprinting demonstrates the importance of its standing in the history of aesthetic ecological thought.
Customer Reviews:
Treasured Favorite Book.......2001-06-26
This book is my favorite book. I remember the first time that I read it. I would have to get up from my desk, walk around my apartment, and digest what I was reading. It was so exciting.
Nicolson brings together Theology, History of Science and Geology, and Aesthetics in such a beautiful way. She describes what was an important change in western thinking about nature that occured at the end of the seventeenth century.
Ignore, William Cranon's introduction that ties Nicolson's work to today's ecocriticism. But find and read other works that study nature and culture; Clarance Glacken's Traces on the Rhodian Shore (1967), Arthur O. Lovejoy's The Great Chain of Being (1936), and Leo Marx's The Machine in the Garden (1964).
Book Description
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. Rucker acquaints us with Gödel's rotating universe, in which it is theoretically possible to travel into the past, and explains an interpretation of quantum mechanics in which billions of parallel worlds are produced every microsecond. It is in the realm of infinity, he maintains, that mathematics, science, and logic merge with the fantastic. By closely examining the paradoxes that arise from this merging, we can learn a great deal about the human mind, its powers, and its limitations.
Using cartoons, puzzles, and quotations to enliven his text, Rucker guides us through such topics as the paradoxes of set theory, the possibilities of physical infinities, and the results of Gödel's incompleteness theorems. His personal encounters with Gödel the mathematician and philosopher provide a rare glimpse at genius and reveal what very few mathematicians have dared to admit: the transcendent implications of Platonic realism.
Customer Reviews:
Misleading.......2007-06-20
Rucker had finished writing this by June 19, 1981, as his preface says. Yet, he has the naivete (or perhaps the gall) to say something inane like "Set theory is, indeed, the science of the Mindscape. A set is the form of a possible thought." on p. 41. Since Zadeh published his landmark "Fuzzy Sets" paper in 1965, and Black and others had written similar ideas years earlier, along with multivalued logicians like Lukasiewicz developing possibly infinite-valued logics as far back as the 1920s, one would think that Rucker would be informed or wise enough than such statements. It appears otherwise. I find it curious that Rucker also knew Godel who did work in multivalued logics, but basically Rucker doesn't acknolwedge multivalued logics as even possible forms of thought.
As for the comments about Mr. Rucker qualifying as an intellectual descendent of Hegel, they simply don't hold water. Rucker denies the property of contradiction (it is not the case that A and not A hold). Hegel accepted it and sought some other way to do logic than Aristotle's logic.
Reclaiming the Greek Heritage: A Modern Mathematical Philosophy.......2006-06-30
Rudy Rucker deals with the concept of Infinity in regard to our mental conceptions and the structure of reality. The question is whether or not the concept of Infinity makes sense, and then the relation of finite thought and human consciousness relates to the possibility of infinites in the structure of reality.
Rucker is a professor of Calculus and centres this discussion in the History of Mathematical stemming form the ancient Greeks. For the Greeks there was no distinction between mathematics and philosophy. He takes a mathematical approach, but converses fluently in the disciplines of Quantum Physics and Philosophy.
I classified this book as Epistemology (the Philosophy of Knowledge) because the central concept is the meaning and definition of Human Consciousness. In this regard Rucker probes the meaning of consciousness and the relationship of the individual mind to the concept of Universal Mind.
The title includes Infinity, because the investigation considers all aspects of the ultimate or Absolute. So at the root of this is the question of whether it makes sense for anything to be Infinite. Is there such a thing as Infinity? Are there multiple infinities? Involved is the question of whether the human mind can conceptualize an infinite thought, or is every human thought a finite thought?
The reason this is a question of Epistemology is that one must consider how we know, and what a finite mind can know. Thus Rucker looks at the question in terms of many disciplines of knowledge. Basically, we are asking whether it is possible for something in the universe (one mind, and its thoughts) to know the Absolute or Ultimate reality, of which it is a part!
Another term for the discipline commonly dealing with this problem is Theory of Mind. Rucker I have not looked at the concepts of Theory of Mind and the Philosophical question of the Absolute and the One-Many debate in a mathematical perspective before. This latter entails the concept of whether there is some ultimate unity to the universe, including the recent question of multiple universes, and whether the Absolute is sentient, as an active God or relatable entity.
Rucker points out that any ultimate question, posed in terms mathematical, theological or otherwise, is a mystical question. He references concepts of Zen Buddhism as well as classical Western Philosophy and Christian theology. He lays a firm foundation for the problem in a historical format by reviewing the ancient Greek concepts.
I had never looked at these questions from a mathematical approach. His discussion of set theory helps to see the issues involved in considering whether humans, as finite entities, can conceptualize the ultimate. He deals with the relationship between thoughts and concepts and the external objective world. Set theory and its refinements, which Rucker discusses in terms of the history of their development, provide a way of objectively evaluating whether there can be infinite.
Rucker lays out the formulas in geometry and calculus, but discusses the implications from practical and theoretical perspectives in science and theology. I did not campout in the mathematical formulas, but could generally follow the arguments. But the philosophical implications and the factors discussed in the practical and theoretical scientific disciplines was very helpful. Rucker uses very practical life-situations and analogies to provide a reality for these concepts, which can seem ethereal and abstract.
One of the practical aspects is a whole chapter critically evaluating ideas of Artificial Intelligence, "Robots and Souls." He asks whether an artificial intelligence can become self-developing to the stage comparable to human consciousness. He ruminates on the relationship of artificial intelligences to human consciousness.
Rucker reviews the creative and ground-breaking theories and writings of Kurt Gödel, a mathematical philosopher in the 20th century. Gödel conclusively established the concept of Infinity. Rucker reports on personal discussions he had with Gödel, who was a mystic and philosopher. They discussed the concept of Universal Mind and the existence of mind beyond body.
It was also interesting to see this perspective on the Theory of Mind, various concepts of the Absolute, and critical analysis of the possibilities and limitations of human conception, as written almost 25 years ago, and see that most of what is known and considered now was active knowledge back then. The critical analysis Rucker provides was helpful for a fresh perspective on the methods mathematics brings to metaphysics involved now in Particle Physics and the Cosmogony now entailed by Theoretical physics on the astronomical level.
This review is not true........2005-09-08
This book is spooky! I love it! The infinite is such a fascinating topic. I contemplate it on a daily basis and wrestle with some of its concepts almost constantly. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever wanted to know more on this subject. Robot conciousness is an incredible topic and really makes one think about what conciousness really means. Some of the concepts are difficult to relate to, but give it time and open your mind. If I could, I would give this book infinity - 1 stars!
At the intersection of parallel lines..........2003-06-05
Rudy Rucker, son of a cleric and mathematics whiz kid, produced this book on `Infinity and the Mind' years ago, but reading and re-reading it, I continue to get insights and the chance to wrap my mind around strange concepts.
`This book discusses every kind of infinity: potential and actual, mathematical and physical, theological and mundane. Talking about infinity leads to many fascinating paradoxes. By closely examining these paradoxes we learn a great deal about the human mind, its powers, and its limitations.'
This book was intended to be accessible by those without graduate-level education in mathematics (i.e., most of us) while still being of interest to those even at the highest levels of mathematical expertise.
Even if the goal of infinity is never reached, there is value in the journey. Rucker provides a short overview of the history of 'infinity' thinking; how one thinks about divinity is closely related often, and how one thinks about mathematical and cosmological to-the-point-of-absurdities comes into play here. Quite often infinite thinking becomes circular thinking: Aquinas's Aristotelian thinking demonstrates the circularity in asking if an infinitely powerful God can make an infinitely powerful thing; can he make an unmade thing? (Of course, we must ask the grammatical and logical questions here--does this even make sense?)
Rucker explores physical infinities, spatial infinities, numerical infinities, and more. There are infinites of the large (the universe, and beyond?), infinities of the small (what is the smallest number you can think of, then take half, then take half, then take half...), infinities that are nonetheless limited (the number of divisions of a single glass of water can be infinite, yet never exceed the volume of water in the glass), and finally the Absolute.
`In terms of rational thoughts, the Absolute is unthinkable. There is no non-circular way to reach it from below. Any real knowledge of the Absolute must be mystical, if indeed such a thing as mystical knowledge is possible.'
At the end of each chapter, Rucker provides puzzles and paradoxes to tantalise and confuse.
* Consider a very durable ceiling lamp that has an on-off pull string. Say the string is to be pulled at noon every day, for the rest of time. If the lamp starts out off, will it be on or off after an infinite number of days have passed?
Rucker explores the philosophical points of infinity with wit and care. He explores the ideas behind and implications of Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem, and leads discussion and excursion into self-referential problems and set theory problems and solutions.
He also discusses, contrary to conventional wisdom, the non-mechanisability of mathematics. We tend to think in our day that mathematics is the one mechanical-prone discipline, unlike poetry or creative arts and more 'human' endeavours. But Rucker discusses the problems of situations which require decision-making and discernment in mathematical choices that no machine can (yet!) make.
* Consider the sentence S: This sentence can never be proved. Show that if S is meaningful, then S is not provable, and that therefore you can see that S must be true. But this constitutes a proof of S. How can the paradox be resolved?
This is a beautifully complex and intriguing book on the edges of mathematics and philosophical thinking, which is nonetheless accessible and intellectually inviting. You'll wonder why math class was never this fun!
a mind-blowing trip to the infinite.......2002-12-09
What is infinity? How do we train our minds to understand the idea? This one of the hardest questions to answer for non-professional mathematicians, and one that Rucker address superbly - and, believe it or not entertainingly in this excellent book. And once you think you grasped that, how about a higher level infinity? Next one? Infinite series of higher level infinities? Sound very scary, and it is. It takes an amazing capacity to explain these concepts to a (relative) layman, and Rucker has it in abundance. An exhilarating intellectual tour de force, perhaps comparable to climbing mount Everest - infinite number of times, with deep philosophical, and perhaps, religious connections, presented in a light, funny, and yet rigorous manner. The book also provides a history of the concept of the infinite, and interesting people who developed it. A must read for a curious mind.
Book Description
The book has six parts. Part I presents the first scientific proof of God. This proof is followed by a history of the development of knowledge through the 20th century. Major changes are suggested to some sciences. In Chapter 5, two basic sciences are identified. They are the physical sciences and life sciences. These sciences are aligned to the Laws of Nature and Laws of Nature's God. These two laws are found in the US Declaration of Independence. These two sciences and two laws are shown to apply to all nations. Further, this part also helps the reader to understand the other parts. For instance, it shows how to use opposites to find truths and how to use scriptures scientifically. Parts IIa, IIb, and IIc, deal with God, the science of God, and negative theology. Part IIa presents the contraction metaphysics of the creation of Nicholas of Cusa. This metaphysics shows how God creates the universe out of nothing. This highly technical discussion should excite all scientists. The theology of panentheism is confirmed in this part. Nicholas' art of conjecturing is discussed. Part IIb shifts the discussion to the Christian Trinity and its scientific nature. This part also presents the author's study of the teachings of Jesus Christ. His study reveals many new secrets about the teachings of Christ. Part IIc shifts to the communications between God and man. The author concludes that God and man cannot communicate as humans communicate with each other. However, three information systems were found. They allow information exchanges between God and man. Part III shifts the book to the subject of world theories. This part identifies and discusses the only two world theories that we are able to consider. One theory is mechanical. It has no God and is supported by today's nonbelievers. The other theory is geometrical. It has a God and is supported by today's believers. The mechanical world is shown to be unreal and
Customer Reviews:
Garbage, Müll and more Müll.......2007-06-28
I found this book has a paucity of anything scientific. It lacks any scientific evidence, supporting data, let alone PROOF of anything. It appears the he takes notable names from the past scientific community and long dead philosophers and mixes there theories and ideas up with Christian Bible passages to produce a body of knowledge that lacks any reasoning.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. You would have better luck attempting to prove any gods existence staring directly into the sun.
Not even wrong.......2007-06-02
The Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli once said that certain theories or theses are so unclearly presented as to be untestable or unevaluatable, and thus not properly belonging within the realm of science, even though posing as such. They are worse than wrong because they can not be proven wrong. Famously, he once said of such an unclear paper: "It is not even wrong." (source: wikipedia)
The First Scientific Proof of God fits this description perfectly: while citing the names of numerous real scientists and philosophers, George Shollenberger manages to break the record of the number of non-sequiturs per page and to present it as a proof of the existence of God.
So be warned: this book lacks everything that is commonly considered to be essential to any proof: logic, scientific rigor and common sense.
No proof, no science, no logic.......2007-05-20
This must be one of the strangest books I have ever read - and one of the worst. Although I don't hold a belief in any deity, alleged proofs of the existence of the Christian God have always interested me because they are at least a rational, philosophical attempt at explaining the supernatural. Some of these proofs have been rather sophisticated, like Aquinas' cosmological argument, while others fail to meet even the lowest standard of logic. Needless to say, Mr. Shollenberger's book falls in the latter category.
Unlike what one might have expected, his book doesn't contain a long series of arguments which towards the last few chapters lead up to only one possible conclusion: God exists. Quite the contrary, the First Scientific Proof of God (for some reason Mr. Shollenberger always capitalizes these words) is already delivered on page 6 (Part I, Chapter 1) and is very short:
"Using the symbols, finite and infinite, God's existence can be expressed with the following statement: all finite things are originated by an infinite thing. This statement contains sense-data which means 'all finite things.' And, this sense-data is explained by the theory -- all finite things are originated by an infinite thing. God's existence is proven if God is that infinite thing. This data and theory satisfy the two-step method of proof known as the scientific method of proof. The proof that God is that infinite thing uses the dictionary definition of the symbols, finite and infinite, and rejects the use of the mathematical indefinite in determining the meaning of the infinite in the above statement."
The density of non-sequiturs is so high and the assertions are so outlandish as to boggle the mind. Why would all finite things have to be originated by an infinite thing? Who says that the word sense-data means all finite things? What does Mr. Shollenberger mean by saying that "this sense-data is explained by the theory -- all finite things are originated by an infinite thing"? Doesn't he understand that he presupposes what he sets out to prove by writing "God's existence is proven if God is that infinite thing"? Etcetera etcetera.
All these questions remain unanswered in his book. Mr. Shollenberger doesn't have a high opinion of logic. He claims to have risen above it; otherwise he wouldn't have been able to deliver his proof. So much for its alleged scientific qualities... He doesn't seem aware of the huge epistemological problems that arise when one, whether consciously or not, abandons the use of logic. How can we gauge the validity of a philosophical or scientific claim without the use of logic?
Among all his other highly peculiar claims, one definitely stands out: in the first part of his book he asserts that there are two symbolic languages: scientific languages and talk languages. If I understand him correctly (which is very difficult due to his lack of logical skills and his many grammar and spelling mistakes), he seems to think that scientists use a language that is completely different from our everyday language. Unfortunately, he doesn't give so much as a hint as to the nature of these differences.
Furthermore, he claims that the English language is poor compared to the German language, because it is weakened by "Aristotle logic" and affects the human mind negatively, and that the German language is strong thanks to Plato's use of logic. Again, no examples whatsoever are given to illustrate these bizarre claims.
I'll leave it at this. Anyone interested in the wondrous workings of the human mind should by all means buy Mr, Shollenberger's 'proof'. I will consider it a valuable contribution to my collection of books on the flat earth, shape-shifting reptiles and Atlantis.
Awful.......2007-05-15
This book is very poorly written, with grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors so pervasive as to distract from whatever point he may be trying to make. This is ironic given one of the primary premises of the book is that human language is incapable of adequately communicating certain concepts. The author's obvious lack of language skill should make anyone question his qualification to criticize language.
His claim on having a "scientific proof of God" requires that science be redefined as something which no scientist would recognize. Indeed, the author believes that all fields of science and mathematics have to change once exposed to this book. As with the claim about language, this claim is rather dubious given his obvious deficiency of knowledge about science or mathematics as presently practiced.
Badly written pseudoscience.......2006-07-22
This is badly-written pseudoscience composed with a complete disdain for the scientific process. No peer reviews of this work exist. The "proof" consists of assertion piled upon assertion with no actual scientific process to back it up, relying instead on ancient philosophers and the Bible. Even creationists and Christians would have to find this "support" embarrassing. Don't waste your money on this.
Book Description
THIS 18 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Gift of the Spirit, by Prentice Mulford. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766127540.
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Infinite vistas: New tools for astronomy
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Astronomy
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| Science
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Star-Gazing
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ASIN: 0684182874 |
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The Nature of Physical Existence
Ivor Leclerc
Manufacturer: University Press of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Philosophy
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Metaphysics
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ASIN: 0819148539 |
Book Description
The central concern of this book is the understanding of the nature of the universe. The author, influenced by many thinkers, particularly Whitehead, Aristotle and Leibnitz, addresses the whole range of problems fundamental to philosophy, especially metaphysical and epistemological. Originally published by Allen and Unwin in 1972.
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