----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 12:58
AM
Subject: [math-fun] Steven Krantz's
review of A New Kind of Science
Just *too* amusing. This is going to appear
in the AMS Bulletin in Jan 2003, apparently.
Krantz is appropriately
critical but failed to mention the book's absolutely
atrocious style, which combines execrable writing
with the apparent attitude
that the general public (whom he imagines will be
interested) must be written
down to patronizingly.
Granted, the public loves Bush
so can't be very bright, but stupidity isn't
enough of a qualification to be interested in
ANKOS.
Krantz uses the word hubris in
connection with SW but "self-worship" is
more accurate.
I also find serious flaw with
the book's layout, which uniquely combines
wide, wasteful page margins with ultra-tiny
diagrams and print.
All in all, a miserably
botched job. (I'm a Mathematica user.)