Surfaces and Essences

Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking

By: Douglas Hofstadter, Emmanuel Sander

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Analogy is the core of all thinking.

This is the simple but unorthodox premise that Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas Hofstadter and French psychologist Emmanuel Sander defend in their new work.

Hofstadter has been grappling with the mysteries of human thought for over 30 years. Now, with his trademark wit and special talent for making complex ideas vivid, he has partnered with Sander to put forth a highly novel perspective on cognition.

We are constantly faced with a swirling and intermingling multitude of ill-defined situations. Our brain's job is to try to make sense of this unpredictable, swarming chaos of stimuli. How does it do so? The ceaseless hail of input triggers analogies galore, helping us to pinpoint the essence of what is going on. Often this means the spontaneous evocation of words, sometimes idioms, sometimes the triggering of nameless, long-buried memories.

Why did two-year-old Camille proudly exclaim, "I undressed the banana!"? Why do people who hear a story often blurt out, "Exactly the same thing happened to me!" when it was a completely different event? What did Albert Einstein see that made him suspect that light consists of particles when a century of research had driven the final nail in the coffin of that long-dead idea?

The answer to all these questions, of course, is analogy - making - the meat and potatoes, the heart and soul, the fuel and fire, the gist and the crux, the lifeblood and the wellsprings of thought.

Analogy-making, far from happening at rare intervals, occurs at all moments, defining thinking from top to toe, from the tiniest and most fleeting thoughts to the most creative scientific insights. Like Gödel, Escher, Bach before it, Surfaces and Essences will profoundly enrich our understanding of our own minds.

©2013 Basic Books (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"I am one of those cognitive scientists who believe that analogy is a key to explaining human intelligence. This magnum opus by Douglas Hofstadter, who has reflected on the nature of analogy for decades, and Emmanuel Sander, is a milestone in our understanding of human thought, filled with insights and new ideas." Steven Pinker (Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Stuff of Thought)

'Mother occupies the chair.' So what?

Would you try another book from Douglas Hofstadter and Emmanuel Sander and/or Sean Pratt?

Perhaps, and by that I mean to say "no," which, as an utterance, occupies a rarefied category of one, with, of course, spelling being the only consideration. As a category of one, it is like the opposite of the Higgs-Boson particle in that, when present, nothing matters (which, as a word, "matters," has multiple meanings, including "relevancy, materials, events, Icelandic for "mother" and so on and so on.). Truthfully, I'll probably try "Strange Loop." I've given it as a gift enough times, it's high-time I got up on it myself.

What could Douglas Hofstadter and Emmanuel Sander have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

92% fewer examples.

Which scene was your favorite?

A quote which, used only as one example in a long line of examples, reads "Censorship is the mother of metaphor." Loved that! Worth the $22 (monthly plan at two credits).

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Perhaps, and by that I mean to say "no," which, as an utterance, occupies a rarefied category of one, with, of course, spelling being the only consideration. As a category of one, it is like the opposite of the Higgs-Boson particle in that, when present, nothing matters (which, as a word, "matters," has multiple meanings, including "relevancy, materials, events, Icelandic for "mother" and so on and so on.).

Any additional comments?

The book was exceptionally well-narrated.

Great intertextuality

Sean Pratt is a choice so apt for this kind of text that it feels fan-selected, like those fantasy film castings on book websites. I appreciated Pratt's subtle gestures toward his Infinite Jest narration, as well as Hofstadter's callbacks to Le Ton beau de Maro and other destinations in the Hofstadterverse.

Doug, Doug, Doug

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Let's just say that Hofstadter is a fascinating combination of brilliant and boring. If you like the way he thinks, then it's a good book to have around to listen to here and there. He always has something interesting to say, often, though, the executive summary might be sufficient.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Oh good, time to move on to Dennett...

Any additional comments?

I am giving Hofstadter a hard time, but I love his mind, he's just, well, you know, tedious...

Intellectual Slow Burn - Too Slow for Some

The implications of the authors’ work don’t seem too obvious after finishing, but throughout it was easy to see how their findings would influence topics like AI and cognition.

The biggest gripe you’ll hear involves the browbeating the listener with examples. There are definitely some moments where they went overboard, but I found most lists of examples mildly entertaining at worst. As someone who now identifies as someone who struggles with analogy-making, it was educational to hear tidbits I could use in daily life.

In typical Hofstadter style, he takes his time to make his arguments so as to leave no stone unturned. This can seem like overkill for the casual reader, but I find it refreshing that the authors are able to proactively address potential pushback.

Fans of Hofstadter will catch glimpses of meta-commentary hidden between the lines, but they aren’t nearly as profound or noticeable as they are in GEB.

Overall, if you like most other works by Hofstadter, this is definitely worth listening to in its entirety, even if you have to slog through a few dry patches.

Interesting, but could be a quarter the length.

What did you love best about Surfaces and Essences?

Absolutely love Hofstadter as I've encountered him both here and in GEB. This is a set of ideas that I've had in an informal way for a long time, and he lays them out in his typical methodical, logical style with many surprising conclusions I hadn't reached. The moments of insight are... spread out... but they unfold spectacularly.

What other book might you compare Surfaces and Essences to and why?

The only thing I can think of that is this casually philosophical is GEB, but that's a trivial example. The concepts resonate with some of Foucault's work on language, particularly The Order of Things, and some recent academic linguistics, but the book differs drastically in style.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Taking forEVER to read the ENDLESS lists of examples. I GET IT GOOD GOD

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many, many.