The Puzzle Instinct

The Meaning of Puzzles in Human Life

Marcel Danesi (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

277 Seiten

2002
Indiana University Press (Verlag)
9780253340948 (ISBN)

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Puzzles are as old as humanity and the human instinct for puzzles betrays the larger perpetual search for meaning to life. This book takes readers on an exploration of the philosophical implications of the puzzle instinct. It presents the main genres of puzzles - from riddles and anagrams to magic squares and optical illusions.

"Humans are the only animals who create and solve puzzles—for the sheer pleasure of it—and there is no obvious genetic reason why we would do this. Marcel Danesi explores the psychology of puzzles and puzzling, with scores of classic examples. His pioneering book is both entertaining and enlightening." —Will Shortz, Crossword Editor, The New York Times
". . . Puzzle fanatics will enjoy the many riddles, illusions, cryptograms and other mind-benders offered for analysis." —Psychology Today
". . . a bristlingly clear . . . always intriguing survey of the history and rationale of puzzles. . . . [A] splendid study. . . ." —Knight Ridder Newspapers

Marcel Danesi is Professor of Semiotics and Anthropology at the University of Toronto and Director of the Program in Semiotics and Communication Theory. His books include Increase Your Puzzle IQ and Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics. He lives in Toronto.

Preface
1. Why Puzzles?
2. Puzzling Language: Riddles, Anagrams, and Other Verbal Perplexities
3. Puzzling Pictures: Optical Illusions, Mazes, and Other Visual Mind-Bogglers
4. Puzzling Logic: Deductions, Paradoxes, and Other Forms of Mind Play
5. Puzzling Numbers: Magic Squares, Cryptarithms, and Other Mathematical Recreations
6. Puzzling Games: Chess, Checkers, and Other Games
7. The Puzzle of Life
Solutions
Bibliography and General Reading List
Index

Zusatzinfo	176 figures
Verlagsort	Bloomington, IN
Sprache	englisch
Maße	155 x 235 mm
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Freizeit / Hobby ► Spielen / Raten
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Sprachphilosophie
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Allgemeine Psychologie
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Verhaltenstherapie
	Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Logik / Mengenlehre
ISBN-13	9780253340948 / 9780253340948
Zustand	Neuware