Incompleteness
The Proof and Paradox of Kurt Gödel
“An enthralling intellectual biography.” —Jim Holt, New Yorker
Kurt Gödel was a tortured genius whose vision rocked the stability of mathematical reasoning—and brought him to the edge of madness. Probing the life and work of the twentieth century’s greatest mathematician, Rebecca Goldstein offers unprecedented insight into the mathematical workings of Gödel’s historic Incompleteness Theorems. Incompleteness is sure to intrigue the general reader and to satisfy even the most serious mathematician.
“Elegant” —New York Times
“Goldstein, a philosopher and novelist, presents a moving picture of a passionate life devoted to ‘abstruse’ concerns and . . . a sketch of Gödel's reasoning that should be accessible to a general reader.” —Weekly Standard
“Unfolds its surprisingly accessible story with dignity, tenderness and awe.” —New York Times Book Review
“Masterful . . . an eminently lucid explanation of Gödel’s theorem and its implications.” —Laura Miller, Salon.com