Readings

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The main text for this course is:

Amazon logo Hofstadter, Douglas R. Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. New York, NY: Basic Books, 1999. ISBN: 9780465026562.

Readings are listed by page number in the table below.

Course readings.
WEEK # TOPIC READINGS DIALOGUES DIALOGUE READINGS
1. Intro-III: Welcome, tools for thinking, formal systems pp. 82-102 Three part invention; two-part invention; sonata for unaccompanied Achilles; contracrostipunctus pp. 29-32, 43-45, 61-63, and 75-81
2. IV: Consistency, completeness, and geometry pp. 127-152 Little harmonic Labyrinth pp. 103-126
3. V: Recursive structures and processes pp. 158-176 Canon by intervallic augmentation pp. 153-157
4. VI: The location of meaning pp. 204-230 Crab canon pp. 199-203
5. VIII: Typographical number theory pp. 246-272 A Mu offering pp. 231-245
6. IX: Mumon and Gödel pp. 495-548 Edifying thoughts of a tobacco smoker pp. 480-494
7. XVI: Self-ref and self-rep pp. 337-365 Prelude...; ...Ant Fugue pp. 275-284, 311-336
8. XI: Brains and thoughts No assigned reading None scheduled No assigned reading