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Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel

By Bloch, William Goldbloom

Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel

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Description
The Library of Babel is arguably Jorge Luis Borges' best known story--memorialized along with Borges on an Argentine postage stamp. Now, in The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel, William Goldbloom Bloch takes readers on a fascinating tour of the mathematical ideas hidden within one of the classic works of modern literature. Written in the vein of Douglas R. Hofstadter's Pulitzer Prize-winning G�del, Escher, Bach, this original and imaginative book sheds light on one of Borges' most complex, richly layered works. Bloch begins each chapter with a mathematical idea--combinatorics, topology, geometry, information theory--followed by examples and illustrations that put flesh on the theoretical bones. In this way, he provides many fascinating insights into Borges' Library. He explains, for instance, a straightforward way to calculate how many books are in the Library--an easily notated but literally unimaginable number--and also shows that, if each book were the size of a grain of sand, the entire universe could only hold a fraction of the books in the Library. Indeed, if each book were the size of a proton, our universe would still not be big enough to hold anywhere near all the books. Given Borges' well-known affection for mathematics, this exploration of the story through the eyes of a humanistic mathematician makes a unique and important contribution to the body of Borgesian criticism. Bloch not only illuminates one of the great short stories of modern literature but also exposes the reader--including those more inclined to the literary world--to many intriguing and entrancing mathematical ideas.
Product details
Edition:
1
Number of Pages:
214
Release Date:
2008-08-25
Publication Date:
2008-08-25
Publisher:
OXFORD UNIV PR
Languages:
Published: English, Original: English
ISBN10:
0195334574
ISBN13:
9780195334579
GPSR Manufacturer Reference:
[email protected]
Weight:
363 g
Height:
21.3 cm
Width:
14.7 cm
Thickness:
2.2 cm
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