Russell: The Journal of Bertrand Russell Studies

�eviews LOGIC AS TRAGEDY Sylvia Nickerson History & Philosophy of Science & Technology / U. of Toronto Toronto, on, Canada m5s 1k1 s.nickerson@utoronto.ca Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitrou; art by Alecos Papadatos and colour by Annie Di Donna. Logicomix: an Epic Search for Truth. New York, Berlin and London: Bloomsbury, 2009. Pp. 347, including bibliography and appendix. £16.99; us$22.95. isbn 1-59691-452-1 or 978-1-59691-452-0. In a journal dedicated to the study of one man, it seems trivial to mention that the life and times of Bertrand Russell are rich in material. A rebel and war re­ sister with an upper-class pedigree, the subject of numerous aTairs sexual and platonic, the author of one of the twentieth-century’s most famous technical books, at the nexus of numerous crucial historical events, and the cofounder of analytic philosophy: we can only dream our lives half as interesting or as accom­ plished. For these very reasons, the authors of Logicomix have chosen Bertrand Russell as the focus of their unique graphic novel about the history of logicism. Although the stated aim of Logicomix is to tell the story of “the quest for the foundations of mathematics” (p. 14), this is not entirely accurate. Or, I should say, the story told is not the one you might expect given this description. For the most part, Logicomix glosses over the why and how at the heart of technical logic, choosing to focus instead on the melodrama in the lives of the characters portrayed. Even though the revelation of deep mathematical truths may be the hook, it is the human-interest story that is the heart of this book. The cast of characters—which includes Alfred North Whitehead, Gottlob Frege, Georg Cantor, DavidHilbert,LudwigWittgensteinandKurtGödel, among others—is depicted at the centre of a variety of dramatic events. The relationships between and personalities of the characters involved are the principal interest of the au­ thors, although some explication of the logic is included for good measure. In their own words: “we focus on the people. Their ideas interest us only to the extent that they spring from their passions” (p. 23). Because the focus is on biographicalrather than technical elements,Logicomix makes for rather digestible comic-book reading. The characters of Logicomixz are russell: the Journal of Bertrand Russell Studies n.s. 29 (summer 2009): 67–94 The Bertrand Russell Research Centre, McMaster U. issn 0036-01631; online 1913-8032 December 2, 2009 (5:28 pm) E:\CPBR\RUSSJOUR\TYPE2901\russell 29,1 060 red.wpd E:\CPBR\RUSSJOUR\TYPE2901\russell 29,1 060 red.wpd 68 Reviews portrayed as savants who are obsessed with saving the world from a collapse in the foundations of knowledge, while the world is oblivious to the quest under way (even the mathematicians are unaware of the danger: “They are fools, Moore!” Russell exclaims to G. E. Moore, p. 113). Moreover, the characters make great personal sacriWces to carry out their mission, as the major thesis of Logico­ mix is that the characters’ proximity to the deep truths of logic brings about in­ sanity and madness in their lives. Overall, the history is treated with equal doses tragedy and romanticism. In this fashion, the authors develop a story entirely simpatico with the comic medium: “The form is perfect for stories of heroes in search of great goals.… The heroesz of the ‘questz’ are fascinating people. Passionate … tortured. In fact, true superheroes!y” (p. 22). The book begins with characters Apostolos and Christos walking through Athens. Apostolos is introduced as the principal author of “the quest” (how the characters refer to the comic they are writing). Christos, a theoretical computer scientist, has Xown from Berkeley to Athens to help Apostolos with the book. Christos and Apostolos discuss the comic as they walk through diTerent neigh­ bourhoods of the city, many of which are beautifully rendered in bright colours by artist Alecos Papadatos (for example, on p. 21). When they arrive at the stu­ dio, Apostolos introduces Christos to Alecos (the artist), Annie (the colourist) and Anne (the researcher), who all work on various aspects of the comic book. The frame story...