Conversations on Mind, Matter, and Mathematics - Jean-Pierre Pierre Changeux - Hardcover

Do numbers and the other objects of mathematics enjoy a timeless existence independent of human minds, or are they the products of cerebral invention? Do we discover them, or do we construct them? Does the physical world actually obey mathematical laws, or does it seem to conform to them simply because physicists have increasingly been able to make mathematical sense of it? Jean-Pierre Changeux, an internationally renowned neurobiologist, and Alain Connes, one of the most eminent living mathematicians, find themselves deeply divided by these questions. Why should order exist in the world at all, and why it should be comprehensible to human beings, is the topic at the heart of these remarkable dialogues. [The authors'] passion for discerning the truth about important issues and for formulating thoughts as precisely as possible shines through these conversations.... A stimulating and illuminating book. DLPhilip Kitcher, The New York Times Book Review This wonderfully eloquent and playful colloquy of two brilliant minds gives new life to the old notion of Dialogue, a sadly forgotten form now.... I love this book! DLOliver Sacks, M.D. English-speaking readers can now benefit from the philosophical insights of two outstanding intellectsDLeach a leader in his own field, each bringing his own distinctive perspective to deep and challenging issues. Conversations on Mind, Matter, and Mathematics is fascinating. DLRoger PenroseChangeux, Jean-Pierre is the author of 'Conversations on Mind, Matter, and Mathematics - Jean-Pierre Pierre Changeux - Hardcover' with ISBN 9780691087597 and ISBN 0691087598.