| Shadows of the Mind | |
|---|---|
|
Author |
Roger Penrose |
|
Genre |
Neuroscience, artificial intelligence |
|
Preceded by |
|
Recommended by Eliezer Yudkowsky (see below).
First read[]
Journal[]
Bought a secondhand paperback version in May 2014 in New Zealand, alongside Hannibal Rising and The War of the Worlds.
Ratings, awards, mentions and recommendations[]
Yudkowsky's recommendation[]
Books of knowledge[]
After QED comes Shadows of the Mind, by Sir Roger Penrose, going deeper into the mathematics of quantum and relativistic paradox. Penrose isn't trying to explain quantum physics; he's trying to persuade you that the human mind isn't Turing-computable. Penrose's philosophical arguments are flawed, and his sections on Gödel's Theorem are eminently skippable - but physics! There's where Penrose shines. The book is well worth reading, simply for the exposition on quantum physics and relativity. Even Daniel Dennett (philosophical archnemesis of Penrose's crowd) recommends the book on those grounds.
It's remarkable how clear explanations can become when an expert's trying to persuade you of something, instead of just explaining it.