The meaing of mathematics in Against the Day.....

[Robin Landseadel]

First off, Joseph's right—maths are a big theme all the way through  
"Against the Day," one would have to be DENSE [like Doc, I  
guess . . .] not to see that. Thus time travel and multiple  
appearances by Tesla and other science fiction/fantasy paraphernalia  
associated with these massive, foundational, changes in math— 
particularly the rise of 'imaginary numbers'. Again, and I repeat—I'm  
sure it was not lost on Pynchon how central Quarterions are to  
computer animation and the creation of fully imaginary visual realms.  
If "Against the Day" is about anything, it's about quantum shifts.

Second—"Gravity's Rainbow" is ONE book by an author who has supplied  
up with Seven [six & 1/2?] novels, all with different themes, time  
zones, centers of focus, usw . . .

Sorry, can't go for this silly "The Only Book That Counts Is  
'Gravity's Rainbow', the rest is Crap" mantra. My door in was "The  
Crying of Lot 49,"

You folks need to start up a "Gravity's Rainbow" website/forum/blog  
and compare dick sizes.

"Gravity's Rainbow" is an anomaly. Then again, so are "Mason & Dixon"  
and "Against the Day." So are the rest of the books.

Seriously, why should Pynchon repeat himself?

And don't you ever call me "surely."

On Mar 19, 2010, at 7:42 AM, Joseph Tracy wrote:

> “The political crisis in Europe maps into the crisis in mathematics.  
> […] The connections lie there […] – hidden and poisonous. Those of  
> us who must creep among them do so at our peril.”
>
> If the" foundational crisis" is not being referred to in that  
> statement, what is? . . .