Orden y Sorpresa

by Martin Gardner

Pocas cosas deparan a un escritor tanta satisfacción —dice MARTIN GARDNER en el prefacio a este volumen— como la oportunidad de reimprimir escritos fugitivos garrapateados hace tiempo, aunque sólo sea para corregir los inevitables cambios introducidos por correctores y tipógrafos distraídos. ORDEN Y SORPRESA recoge una treintena de comentarios y reseñas publicados por el autor desde los comienzos de la década de los cuarenta en diversas revistas filosóficas y científicas, centradas mayoritariamente en obras de tan excepcional interés como «Los tres primeros minutos del universo», de Steven Weinberg (AU 216), «La experiencia matemática», de Philip Davis y Reuben Hersh, «La máquina analítica», de Jeremy Bernstein, o diversos libros de Albert Einstein, Lewis Carroll y Fred Hoyle. La amplitud de los temas abarcados refleja la diversidad de materias por las que se ha interesado (paradojas lógicas, fenómenos de simetría, relatividad, mecánica cuántica o cosmología) o contra las que ha arremetido despiadadamente este campeón de la razón (parapsicología, astrología, etc.).

Genres: Mathematics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Essays, Science

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1983

About the author

Martin Gardner was an American mathematics and science writer specializing in recreational mathematics, but with interests encompassing micromagic, stage magic, literature (especially the writings of Lewis Carroll), philosophy, scientific skepticism, and religion. He wrote the Mathematical Games column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981, and published over 70 books.

Reviews

[Cheryl]

Most essays dated. Many are repetitive of each other. The book reviews are mainly irrelevant, and weren't necessarily relevant at the time (often they're about creation science or defenses of the paranormal, for example... which imo means that by giving that trash atttention, Gardner was 'feeding the trolls'). The book as a whole unfocused. Recommended only to Gardner completists. Better to get his puzzle books or his "best of" collections.

I did read a few bits carefully and found a few notable bits. For example, it appears that at one time certain librarians were not making copies of The Wizard of Oz available to their young patrons, apparently because it was consider fluff and a waste of the children's energies. That essay mentioned three titles I will look for: The Circus of Dr. Lao. Tremendous Trifles, and within that collection, esp. "The Dragon's Grandmother."

I also will look for The Mathematical Magpie and/or other books by Clifton Fadiman, and The Magic Of Lewis Carroll, edited by John Fisher.

[Juan Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los buenos divulgadores sobreviven al tiempo incluso cuando hablan de ciencia.

https://liblit.com/martin-gardner-ord...

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funky collection of essays by Martin Gardner, covering a wide range of topics and years of his life. Some of them are merely of historical interest, as I don't think the controversies or issues are salient in contemporary culture, but others are quite surprising. For example, I had no idea that (1) The Wizard of Oz is but one of many, many Oz books, and Oz had a whole franchise life well before the classic movie; (2) librarians apparently *refused to recognize* it as "worthy" literature for their collections, much less something one should let a child read, and that it took years of activism to change this tendency. It's incidentally a reminder that while many of today's librarians fancy themselves in the vanguard of progressive thinking, librarians used to be rather conservative and Puritan. Funny the way things change.

Overall, Gardner is a good writer, and it's impressive just how wide the scope of these essays is. But I don't think it rates more than a 3.5 rounded down on my scale, since it's not focused enough and many of the essays are probably only of niche interest.

HUNDRED BOOK CHALLENGE

[Federico Pacheco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro que he leído varias veces. Al menos tres o cuatro. El libro está dividido en 30 ensayos. Un primer grupo en el que trata algunos temas diversos e interesantes - aunque ahora ya no recuerdo cuales - y la segunda parte hace recensiones de otros libros y artículos de diversos autores.
Va sobre matemáticas, lógica, ciencia, etc.
Es una lectura agradable , pero quizás se haya quedado un poco obsoleto.
Después de leerlo tenía la duda de dejarlo en mi biblioteca personal (lleva conmigo más de 20 años) o liberarlo para su lectura por terceros, pero me lo pidió Pedro (el profesor) así que imagino que se lo regalaré.

Finalmente se lo regalé a Pedro. Creo que lo leyó, pero imagino que por encima y sólo la primera parte.

[Maurizio Codogno · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martin Gardner non ha scritto solo libri di matematica divulgativa. Questo vecchio volume raccoglie per esempio una serie di articoli - soprattutto recensioni nella seconda parte, più legati agli scrittori per l'infanzia nella prima parte - che toccano la matematica solo tangenzialmente, nel senso che in alcuni saggi si parla di Lewis Carroll e c'è una recensione (negativa) del libro The Mathematical Experience di Davis e Hersh e una (abbastanza positiva) di Adventures of a Mathematician di Stanislaw Ulam.

Nel libro si scopre una passione incredibile di Gardner per Frank Baum e i libri del Mago di Oz, con una sua lotta contro l'establishment americano che non li teneva in biblioteca perché "non sono libri che fanno bene ai bambini"; si legge della sua lotta contro la pseudoscienza - interessante l'ultimo saggio, quello sulle "scimmie intelligenti" con il debunking molto semplice; ci sono anche delle chicche, come la recensione di 1984 e del film Poltergeist. Però il risultato, nonostante la prosa di Gardner sempre asciutta e che va subito al punto, mi è sembrato piuttosto deludente. Sicuramente è un libro da leggere a spizzichi e bocconi, come del resto ho fatto, ma anche così non è che porti chissà quale piacere alla lettura.

In definitiva, consigliato solo e unicamente ai gardnerologi hard core!

[Remo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colección de ensayos y recensiones de libros que versan sobre los más diversos temas, desde la simetría izquierda-derecha hasta la creatividad de los genios, pasando por las paradojas lógicas. Martin Gardner es un filósofo, nadie lo duda, y comparto con él todas sus aficiones intelectuales. En el libro encontramos además, acertijos, juegos matemáticos, e incluso disquisiciones sobre la Relatividad. Gran libro.