ABSTRACT

In 1931 the mathematical logician Kurt Godel published a revolutionary paper that challenged certain basic assumptions underpinning mathematics and logic. A colleague of Albert Einstein, his theorem proved that mathematics was partly based on propositions not provable within the mathematical system and had radical implications that have echoed throughout many fields. A gripping combination of science and accessibility, Godel’s Proof by Nagel and Newman is for both mathematicians and the idly curious, offering those with a taste for logic and philosophy the chance to satisfy their intellectual curiosity.

chapter |2 pages

Acknowledgments

chapter I|5 pages

Introduction

chapter II|18 pages

The Problem of Consistency

chapter III|11 pages

Absolute Proofs of Consistency

chapter VII|30 pages

Gödel’s Proofs

chapter VIII|5 pages

VIII Concluding Reflections