Set theory and the continuum problem

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1. cpp_frogMar 2022
   In high school I had a Philosophy class, and its book [0] had chapters in which their endings short stories. Two of the chapters (5: Learning and Intelligence, 14: Reality) had interesting excerpts from Smullyan's books Alice in Puzzle-land [1] and Five Thousand B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies [2], respectively. They highlight philosophical concepts in a way that makes them sort of 'self-explanatory', especially for a beginner student. He also has a textbook, Set Theory and the Continuum Problem which is a rigorous and technical work, and does a great job introducing and developing some results on the idea of forcing [3].

   [0] Introducción a la Filosofía, César Tejedor.

   [1] https://static01.nyt.com/packages/pdf/crossword/Smullyan_Ali... the story is in pp. 1-6

   [2] https://books.google.cl/books?id=fzuKc5dGN5gC&lpg=PT80&ots=Q... until the comment of Second Positivist

   [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forcing_(mathematics)

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2. mvanveenFeb 2017
   Coming across The Tao is Silent in college changed my life forever. I've subsequently recommended it to select friends who seemed like they'd benefit from it and they've reported back and told me the book has had similar effects within their life. When I introduce Smullyan to people I explain that he is basically an IRL gandalf math/spirituality wizard.

   I just picked up A Spiritual Journey and Set Theory And The Continuum Problem several weeks back. Both of these books feel like they are personal, and direct mathematical and spiritual conversations that are directed towards an audience very much like myself. I told my dad (a practicing amateur number theorist) a few weeks back that the set theory book in particular made me feel like I'd found a mathematical topic (foundations of logic) that really spoke to me and even the first few chapters had clarified some confusion within the area that I'd been carrying for years.

   This feels much like I felt a few weeks ago when I found myself regretting that I'd never sent Obama a letter during his presidency and would never get the chance again.

   Godspeed Professor Smullyan and thank you for everything you shared with us along the journey!

   PS thank you to everyone in this thread who has shared their connection to this wonderful man, it's really heartening to find some community amidst this loss.

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3. evolvingstuffNov 2010
   * Networks of the Brain by Olaf Sporns

   * Set Theory and the Continuum Problem by Smullyan and Fitting

   * The Calculus Lifesaver by Adrian Banner

   * Discrete Mathematics with Proof by Eric Gossett

   * Unix and Linux System Adminstration Handbook by Nemeth, Snyder, Hein, and Whaley

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