"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
In this sometimes technical but always accessible narrative, Amir Aczel, author of the spirited study Fermat's Last Theorem, contemplates such matters as the Greek philosopher Zeno's several paradoxes; the curious careers of defrocked priests, (literal) mad scientists, and sober scholars whose work helped untangle some of those paradoxes; and the conundrums that modern mathematics has substituted for the puzzles of yore. To negotiate some of those enigmas requires a belief not unlike faith, Aczel hints, noting, "We may find it hard to believe that an elegant and seemingly very simple system of numbers and operations such as addition and multiplication--elements so intuitive that children learn them in school--should be fraught with holes and logical hurdles." Hard to believe, indeed. Aczel's book makes for a fine and fun exercise in brain-stretching, while providing a learned survey of the regions where science and religion meet. --Gregory McNamee
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 3.99
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Condition: New. All books are mailed out in a bubble wrap mailer to protect your purchase. Orders are ALWAYS shipped same day or next day with FREE TRACKING emailed to you automatically. (WE TRY HARD TO DESCRIBE OUR BOOKS ACCURATELY SO YOU CAN BUY WITH CONFIDENCE). Seller Inventory # 352D410026P1
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # mon0000212723
Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. Seller Inventory # 0743422996-2-1
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Seller Inventory # 353-0743422996-new
Book Description Paperback or Softback. Condition: New. The Mystery of the Aleph: Mathematics, the Kabbalah, and the Search for Infinity 0.8. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS-9780743422994
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 9780743422994
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # ABLIING23Feb2416190145694
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 377503-n
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. A compelling narrative that blends a story of infinity with the tagic tale of a tormented and brilliant mathematician. From the end of the ninteenth century until his death, one of history's greatest mathematicians languished in an asylum, driven mad by an almost Faustian thirst for universal knowledge. THE MYSTERY OF THE ALEPH tells the story of Georg Cantor (1845-1918), a Russian born German whose work on the 'continuum problem' would bring us closer than any mathemetician before him in helping us to comprehend the nature of infinity. A respected mathematician himself, Dr. Aczel follows Cantor's life and traces the roots of his enigmatic theories. From the Pythagoreans, the Greek cult of mathematics, to the mystical Jewish numerology found in the Kabbalah, THE MYSTERY OF THE ALEPH follows the search for an answer that may never truly be trusted. A compelling narrative that blends the story of infinity with the tragic tale of a tormented and brilliant mathematician. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780743422994
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # I-9780743422994