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Somebody somewhere gave me a heads-up on the book "Passionate Minds: the
Inner World of Scientists." I see that it's on Amazon, and after reading
the review I see I now must buy myself a christmas gift...
Reality is not the only figment in the book. Stewart and Cohen use a
group of eight "weird alien beings from the planet Zarathustra,
resembling fluffy yellow ostriches but with much stranger habits" as a
sounding board, as comedy relief, and as a philosophical-experimental
playpen. To quote:
"Ringmaster: What is this?
Liar-to-children [=teacher]: A continuing educational narrative of
some kind, Ringmaster. Based upon a revered/reviled (delete
whichever is inapplicable) ancient text. [Watches the screen and
interprets the tale that unfolds--a long and dramatic story of an
exploding universe, elements born in stars, complex carbon-based
molecular machines, a doubly-helical genetic molecule, the origins
of life, evolution, sense organs, brains, minds, and intelligence.]
R: What a fascinating narrative.
LtC: And such a convincing story.
Destroyer-of-facts [=scientist]: Such vigor and power! Such unified
scientific insight!
R: Not a word out of place, no loose ends--amazing!
ALL: [In unison] Must be wrong, then."
Read it and think, read it and giggle, read it and come back for more.
At long last, a worthy successor to Godel, Escher, Bach, updated,
twisted, and put through a Monty Python filter.