Permutation City

Book Description

Critics

• Permutation City

  Warning: mild plot spoilers If one could simulate a human being completely, at the level of fundamental physics, would the simulation be human in some sense? It's hard to argue otherwise without resorting to some kind of essentialism, but one obtains ... (read full critics)

  dannyreviews published on Fri, 27 Aug 2010

4 Reviews

• 2 people find this helpful

  

  Mind-body relationship, the nature of reality, the nature of truth, the nature of creation, the laws of the universe... all this is to be found in this brilliant book, which is one of the best sci-fi works I ever read. Go on like this, Greg, and don't listen to those who ask you to write 'standard' ... (continue)

  Mind-body relationship, the nature of reality, the nature of truth, the nature of creation, the laws of the universe... all this is to be found in this brilliant book, which is one of the best sci-fi works I ever read. Go on like this, Greg, and don't listen to those who ask you to write 'standard' stuff.

  Is this helpful?

  tanataviele said on Jul 30, 2011 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

• 

  Mind- but not soul-expanding

  This is a good book, and I think I must read it again soon to appreciate it better but my initial impressions are that, while it stretches the intellect with many new possibilities of Matrix-like proportions (subjects include: almost infinitely regressive computer simulation; the ability to lead mul ... (continue)

  This is a good book, and I think I must read it again soon to appreciate it better but my initial impressions are that, while it stretches the intellect with many new possibilities of Matrix-like proportions (subjects include: almost infinitely regressive computer simulation; the ability to lead multiple digitally cloned lives; speculations on personality, memory and the relativity of time in an environment where one can create and run copies of oneself; worlds that are completely malleable, with the ability to replicate and provide themselves with unlimited virtual space and processing power, and a scenario in which a simulacrum of biological life allows the evolution of beings whose sentience, increasing intelligence and consciousness are capable of shaping the bounds of their 'reality' simply through the operation of the organising principles of mind itself), it leaves the soul somewhat detached.

  There are real people in here, with their own existential crises but their speculations are philosophical, not emotional; their problems appear to the reader to be just, well, permutations, variations on a theme, a libretto, an equation. Perhaps that is the intention of the author, to show through the lack of depth developing in these digital adventurers as they delve deeper into their new simulated realm, the fundamental difficulty of remaining fully human. However, I doubt it. At one point, a lead character craves to be amongst flesh-and-blood people again but despite the apparently plaintive cry, one has no authentic connection to the personal reasons why this might be, any more than you could say that an addict craves their drug for affective rather than reasons of altered cellular chemistry.

  Recommended as a tightly-written piece of speculative fiction only. The author probably had nothing else in mind, and certainly don't expect to be engaged on multiple levels.

  Is this helpful?

  OwnedLibrarian said on Aug 3, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  Simply brilliant.

  Is this helpful?

  Martin Laine said on Feb 28, 2008 | Add your feedback

• 

  best book on virtual reality

  Is this helpful?

  綠函數達人 said on Oct 7, 2007 | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
  (24)
  • 5 stars
  • 4 stars
  • 3 stars
  • 2 stars
  • 1 star
• English Books
• Mass Market Paperback 352 Pages
• ISBN-10: 006105481X
• ISBN-13: 9780061054815
• Publisher: EOS
• Pub date: Oct 01, 1995
• Dimensions: 1161 mm x 710 mm x 194 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Paperback, Hardcover and eBook
• In other languages: other languages Livres Français, Libros en Español, Libri Italiani

Groups with this in collection

• science fiction (467)
• Cyberpunk (177)

Prices Change currency & sellers