Questions for GEB Unit X


Mårten Stenius URL: http://www.nada.kth.se/~d90-mst/courses/geb/q10.html

Page and figure references are from the English Penguin Books edition, unless otherwise noted.


Dialogue X: Prelude...

On p. 280, the Crab says: "there is nevertheless always some intangible abstract quality which underlies both of them" about the prelude and the fugue. Later on, the silence between them is also mentioned as important. In what way is, then, Chapter X the "silence" between "Prelude..." and "Ant Fugue"? (Because there is, otherwise, not much in the dialogue that is clearly related to the contents of Chapter X).

The ATTACCA quiz: Look at the initials of Achilles and TTortoise on p. 280, and the initials of Achilles and CCrab at p.311. Of course, along with the parenthesis that extends over all of Chapter X.

Chapter X: Levels of Description, and Computer Systems

On p. 302, it is suggested that the "software" and "hardware" distinction is more or less applicable to humans. But how can we make that distinction? What ways are there to transfer anything "software-like" between two brans, other than on a high level (as when exchanging words and gestures)? Is this high level then the only level on which we can talk about "software"?