Jim Fehlinger wrote:
> Eliezer says about the "Great Holy Book" (_Godel, Escher,
> Bach_) "This book is mandatory reading for all members of
> the human species." Dare I confess I haven't read it? Of
> course, I listened to people saying all through the 80's how
> wonderful it is, but the title immediately put me off. The
> suggestion "I'm a wunderkind mathematician and computer
> scientist, but I know all about art too, and I'm going to
> show you how the former illuminates the latter while
> dazzling you with my erudition" simultaneously filled me
> with jealousy that the author might actually be that smart,
> fear that he might not be able to carry it off, and
> anticipation of possibly being bored stiff watching him try.
I haven't read it either, for the same reason. I read _Fluid
Concepts and Creative Analogies_, which was quite good with
the exception of the final chapter written by Hofstadter
alone, which did much to confirm my suspicions that he might
harbour extraordinary arrogance behind all that showy
wordplay. I also tried to read _Metamagical Themas_, but
couldn't stomach more than a few chapters.
BM
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