"Science has been under siege during the last quarter century, first by critics who charge that science itself is a cultural construct and that scientists import their own belief systems into their research. Retired math professor Byers (How Mathematicians Think) argues that much of the problem lies in what he calls the 'science of certainty.' ... Instead, Byers says, scientists ... Read moreneed to recognize 'uncertainty, incompleteness, and ambiguity, the ungraspable, the blind spot, or the limits to reason.'"
Publishers Weekly "Is the idea that anything can be determined with absolute certainty an illusion? ... Byers incorporates many brilliant thinkers and seminal scientific breakthroughs into his discussion, offering the cogent, invigorating argument that only by embracing uncertainty can we truly progress."
Kirkus Reviews "Science deals in certainties, right? Wrong, says Montreal-based mathematician William Byers... He contends that this view is wide of the mark and dangerous, influenced by the human need for everything to be 'certain'."
Alison Flood, Wired "I've sometimes remarked that I think our educational system would benefit if we threw Shakespeare in the trash bin, but required all high-schoolers to read Godel and Cantor (well, their interpreters) ... or perhaps now, just substitute Byers! ... [The Blind Spot] should be read and contemplated by every scientist ... and even applied to their own endeavors."
Math-Frolic! "A passionate, informed manifesto that takes aim at our culture's reigning myth of scientific certainty. Byers would like to debunk that myth, and put in its place a science of wonder that freely acknowledges its 'blind spot'
a metaphor for all that remains inherently and irreducibly unknowable, ambiguous, and mysterious... The Blind Spot is an important book for our time, part of a necessary and pressing debate about how to think, and live, within limits both certain and otherwise."
Alex Good, Quill & Quire "[The Blind Spot] is an enjoyable read and makes several interesting points."
Choice "Byers' breadth of learning is impressive, appealing to chaos theory, quantum mechanics, philosophy and beyond in making his case."
Paul Taylor, Mathematics Today "Byers skillfully evokes questions about science and causes readers to reflect on the implications of the blind spots in mathematics and sciences by drawing on notable works across multiple academic fields. I highly recommend this book for anyone in higher education with an appreciation for the philosophy of mathematics and the sciences."
Ruthmae Sears, Mathematics Teacher Show Less