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Comment by whackedspinach | Hacker News Reader

I have this book sitting next to me, but I never read past the first chapter. Could you tell my why I should read it over the dozens of other books on my reading list? It just looks so dense.

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Yes, it is dense, and difficult in parts - but take your time. It took me a long time and several attempts too - but was well worth it. I still go back and read sections again to get a better understanding of some of the concepts. It is very unique and original synthesis of many diverse topics weaved together - logic, computer science, genetics, philosophy, intelligence and consciousness - around a central idea. The central idea is about self-reference and strange loops - as in logic with Godel's theorem, in music - as in Bach's fugues which curl and twist, and Escher - whose drawings such as two hands drawing each other - capture the surreal nature of these strange loops. If you are a programmer, or ever had an interest in Artificial Intelligence this book presents some compelling ideas on how intelligence or even consciousness may emerge out of these strange loops. Even if you are not a programmer, this book will change the way you think about thinking!

Here are some more favorites (they may not qualify as the best books ever, but great books with original and useful ideas):

- Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson

- The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely

- Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath, Dan Heath

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