What Is the 2-D World Book Mentioned by Brian Greene in The Elegant Universe?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the book "Flatland" by Edwin Abbott, which is mentioned by Brian Greene in "The Elegant Universe." Participants explore its themes, readability, and availability, as well as their personal experiences with the book.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants identify "Flatland" as the book mentioned by Brian Greene.
  • There are mixed opinions on the book's readability; some find it an easy read while others describe it as a "bumpy ride."
  • One participant suggests that while "Flatland" may not provide new insights for those who have read "The Elegant Universe," it remains an entertaining novel.
  • Participants discuss the availability of "Flatland," noting that it may be available for free as its copyright has expired.
  • Some mention that other books, such as "Hyperspace" by Kaku, provide necessary mathematical context related to the themes in "Flatland."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no clear consensus on the overall value or insights provided by "Flatland" compared to other works. Participants express differing views on its readability and relevance.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference the availability of "Flatland" as a free ebook, but there are no details on the specific conditions or limitations of accessing it.

deltabourne
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Brian Greene mentions it it in The Elegant Universe. It's a book about a society that lives in a 2-d world or something. It sounded interesting and I wanted to look it up.. any ideas?
 
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Flatland

...
 
Ah! Thanks. Now that being said, has anyone read it? Any good?
 
It's a bumpy ride, from what I've heard..
 
It's a classic, and cheap. Get it and read it!
 
I happened to read it recently and in my opinion the books like Hyperspace by Kaku etc give a good idea of necessary math about that.But if you want to read a novel.Go ahead.
P.S:I think copyrights have expired and its available for free as an ebook.
 
arildno said:
It's a bumpy ride, from what I've heard..

It was a very easy read for me. If you've read The Elegant Universe, you wouldn't really learn anything new from Flatland. Much of the geometry described is common sense nowadays. Nonetheless, Flatland still remains as a very entertaining novel.
 
recon said:
It was a very easy read for me. If you've read The Elegant Universe, you wouldn't really learn anything new from Flatland. Much of the geometry described is common sense nowadays. Nonetheless, Flatland still remains as a very entertaining novel.
Ok, then, yet another failed joke from my part.:cry:
 
LOL, aww poor arildno. I thought it was quite clever.
 
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thx a lot, check! I put a lot of work into it..
 
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My mother dropped me on my head when I was young.

Since then, I've had to work hard to memorise jokes to be able to identify a joke when someone makes one so that I can laugh a big fake laugh. Thanks for the new joke, arildno. I'm sure it will come in handy. :smile: :redface:
 
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