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"?