Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions
by Edwin A. Abbott
published 1884
read in October 2012 (and skimmed, years earlier)
categories: management, science fiction, other
rating: 7 / 10, well worth reading
Strictly speaking, this novella is "other". Categorising as "management" is misleading. I'm a victim of my own definitions, since "management" is defined as "management, business, informative stuff". And Flatland is intended to be informative.
There is a simple story: hero makes great discovery, cannot convince his friends, realises that the government is suppressing his discovery, is jailed to keep him quiet.
The main point, though, is to explain the concept of multi-dimensional universes, with dimensions from zero, through our normal three, and beyond. With rational explanation of possible life at each of the lesser-dimensioned universes.
I still cannot visualise a four-dimensional world. But Flatland makes me believe that it is possible. I'm not sure that I'm ready to believe that it is "likely"...
... Which supports one of the points which is made, gently, in the book. A 3D Sphere is dismayed that the 2D Square (the author and hero) has so much trouble believing in the third dimension. Yet Sphere has just as much trouble believing in the fourth dimension!
Sphere, of course, is from our own, 3D space. Abbott clearly explains the logical possibility of zero, one and two dimensional spaces. He then asks us to step beyond our built-in limitations -- and explore the possibility of space with four... or more... dimensions.
For a budding mathematician -- or a fan of science fiction -- this is a great little book.
Save the heavy textbooks for later. Start with Flatland, for a pleasant introduction to the possibility of multi-dimensional space.
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