Reading

"The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library. " Albert Einstein

Last updated 2026-06-09 from Zürich

Currently reading:

  • Gödel's Theorems and Zermelo's Axioms by Lorenz Halbeisen & Regula Krapf
  • Algebra by Michael Artin
  • The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
  • Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas HofstadterA very lengthy book introducing the major results of mathematical logic, philosophy of mind, as well as some interesting topics in Baroque music and art. So far so good!

Planning to read:

  • Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
  • Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, Philosophical Investigations by Ludwig Wittgenstein
  • Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics by Vladimir Arnold
  • Principles of Quantum Mechanics by Ramamurti Shankar
  • Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott
  • A Mathematician's Apology by G. H. Hardy
  • The Two Cultures (of Mathematics) by C. P. Snow (W. T. Gowers)
  • The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Richard Feynman
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
  • Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
  • Against Method by Paul Feyerabend
  • Philosophy of Mathematics: Selected Readings by Hilary Putnam & Paul Benacerraf
  • Computing Machinery and Intelligence by Alan Turing

Finished reading:

  • Proofs and Refutations by Imre LakatosNice dialogue explaining how mathematics research is done in practice, from a naive conjecture to precise definitions through proofs. Emphasizes that the value of proofs is not necessarily in their correctness, but in the understanding they provide.
  • Mathematical Analysis I & II by Vladimir ZorichAside from Amann & Escher's trilogy, I have yet to encounter any modern series of Analysis books as comprehensive as Zorich's. It covers the ETHZ Analysis 1 & 2 curriculum in a very similar order to the course and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to any incoming Maths / Physics students. Results are motivated very well, with frequent examples from the natural sciences. It offers somewhat unorthodox but certainly more general and intuitive formalisms, particularly in defining limits over a filter base, as well as Riemann integrability as the limit of the mesh of partitions. It is also nice to have both single and multivariable analysis covered in the same context using consistent notation and building upon previous ideas. The generalization to topological and normed vector spaces at the start of the 2nd book was also insightful.
  • Electricity and Magnetism by Edward M. Purcell & David J. MorinI chose this textbook as opposed to Griffith's slightly more popular "Introduction to Electrodynamics" as it introduces magnetic fields as a consequence of Special Relativity, an exposition which I thoroughly enjoyed. It also contains a brief crash course on vector operators as well as thorough and wordy explanations behind the consequences of the equations - very useful in an introductory text. After covering Maxwell's theory it briefly derives the existence of electromagnetic waves as well as the effects of electric / magnetic fields on matter.
  • Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon AxlerRigorous treatment of Linear Algebra with great exercises, which has helped me develop deeper levels of understanding behind some of the key structures in the field. The beauty of duality between Dual and Inner Product Spaces as well as the Multilinear Form based definition of the Determinant stood out to me in particular.
  • The Character of Physical Law by Richard FeynmanAlthough presented in a rather "pop-science" style, it contains interesting discussions about the scientific method and the overarching conservation / symmetry laws. I particularly enjoyed the "Distinction of Past and Future" chapter, which explains the irreversibility of macroscopic phenomena as a consequence of thermodynamics / entropy. "I think that we are very lucky to live in an age in which we’re still making discoveries. It’s an age which will never come again." - R. Feynman
  • Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard FeynmanFun anecdotes highlighting Feynman's extraordinary character and inspiring me to make the most out of life.