Thank you for the information, Orpheus. I just mean second book as it relates to the "Strange Loop" phenomenon Hofstadter espouses. ((Personally, I think it is bullshit, as, I think loops do not have to move upward or downward; there all kinds of vectors...., but, hey, I haven't finished the book....more later.))

Not a bad book, but definitely overrated.

A classic certainly and you should all read the collaboration of Douglas and Dan Dennett with a follow up called "The Mind's Eye".

Another vote for The Mind's I here: a much gentler book, but no less interesting or thought-provoking.

j.mills wrote:Another vote for The Mind's I here: a much gentler book, but no less interesting or thought-provoking.

Just ordered it off Amazon thanks to the two recommendations above

Ordered and obtained the 'The Mind's I' after reading recommendations here.

For some strange reason I can't put my finger on.....I am struggling to stay interested in it, and have already set it down in favour of other reading. This is a bit of a surprise, as I had often read of people saying that GEB was their favourite ever book, etc.

For one thing, the material does seem quite a bit out of date. For another...I just seem to have trouble with Dennett, who I suspect is overrated.

I`m reading both GEB and The Mind's I! Soon will be Sophie`s World.

Reading I Am a Strange Loop. After 3 chapters I love it. Will definitely be getting GEB.

I enjoyed what I read of GEB (maybe a third to a half), but it was sloooooow going. I found I Am A Strange Loop was good for getting a much more approachable gist of GEB. I enjoyed Strange Loop as well, but remember losing interest when he started going on and on about his wife.

SafeAsMilk wrote:I enjoyed what I read of GEB (maybe a third to a half), but it was sloooooow going. I found I Am A Strange Loop was good for getting a much more approachable gist of GEB. I enjoyed Strange Loop as well, but remember losing interest when he started going on and on about his wife.

Ew! So did I. I mean, I haven't gotten there yet, but just now after you just said it, I've lost interest.


*tosses in bin*






*remembers it was a Kindle edition. fishes Kindle from bin"

GEB needs to be read on paper, the typesetting is often important and diagrams and illustrations etc wouldn't translate either.

I have a well thumbed copy that I originally bought for a long period overseas, the hours/kilo ratio is nice and high. Would be my desert island book, I guess.