Lessons of Gödel, Escher, Bach

Hey guys.

In past months, there were a handful of posters and threads that related to the brain and consciousness. A few members, namely Leon, AnduinX?, and myself often referenced Douglas Hofstadter’s book (Godel, Escher, Bach) to support their claims. I don't know if those guys are still regulars.

The point is that MIT Open Course Ware is now offering a class called Gödel, Escher, Bach: A Mental Space Odyssey.

Source

So if any of you guys have a of free time, and are intellectually inclined, definitely take advantage of this opportunity. It's not overly time consuming or anything and you can go at your own pace. All online and free, except the book, though you can probably get that free online too.

Thanks for reading guys, I hope a few of you like it

Course is found here.

Course Description:

Thank YOU! ^_^ haha i'm glad to have come across this, and to be one of the first too, here atleast

Good book.

AI will peak, never have consciousness, and we are the superior beings. I love it!

This sounds like an interesting read. I'll be sure to check the library at my university when my semester begins in a couple of weeks to see if they have it.

Your description brings to mind another book that I read a couple of years ago called 'the brain that changes itself' so anyone interesting in GEB might like reading this one as well. The main topic of the book is neuroplasticity, and it gives in depth accounts of how various people have recovered from terrible and interesting brain and cognitive problems with its help. It was once thought that neurosplasticity exists only at a young age, but modern science, and this book, demonstrate that it continues throughout our entire life, hence the name of the book.

I did enjoy the book but found come conflicting ideas between Hofstadter and my other favourite Scientist in the field, Sir Roger Penrose.

I don't always enjoy when people read GEB and then pop in to say that the conclusion of the book was that Consciousness can be produced merely by neurons and physicality, when Hofstadter clearly delves into Gödel’s Incompleteness theorem and then gives an example of the Human and computer chess player. The message this book told me is that there is no real understanding of the mind and the ideas of its mere physicality does not account for the complex process of a human.

Given; the computer planning out ALL POSSIBLE chess moves can be impressive, but only the human can recognize the axiom for what it is and can beat it where-as the machine cannot recognize it's own algorithm and therefore its own faults.

However there is one idea that Hofstadter gives in GEB that is extremely compelling and it is something you have spoken about a number of times, Zappy. The looping system - which if my memory serves me correctly he compared that looping system to a Canon.