Discussion
I read it, and much like the square, I am now having issues.
The book immerses you so well into the flatlander point of view, and sets the stage of reference so well to the line landers, that when you meet the sphere, it really is a case of how could I have not imagined that my 2d world seen from a 3rd dimension takes on a whole new appearance.
So why am I now finding it so difficult to fathom what the 4th dimension is. The age old drawing more lines off a cube and essentially extruding it into another of our existing dimensions always seems a bit naff, but I guess it is the only logical path to take.
However, what is pondering me is, if I were taken out of the 3rd spatial dimension into the 4th extrusion, I am finding it pretty tough to visualise what I would see.
I am kind of imagining that everything is visible, inside objects etc, but somehow 'unwrapped' into this extra dimension. A little like viewing the whole world like an exploded diagram schematic but it always feeling somehow normal. But then what I wonder is what the 5th dimension would offer.
It's pretty cool really, but my head hurts!
Has anyone else thought they were going mad after reading it
Dave
The book immerses you so well into the flatlander point of view, and sets the stage of reference so well to the line landers, that when you meet the sphere, it really is a case of how could I have not imagined that my 2d world seen from a 3rd dimension takes on a whole new appearance.
So why am I now finding it so difficult to fathom what the 4th dimension is. The age old drawing more lines off a cube and essentially extruding it into another of our existing dimensions always seems a bit naff, but I guess it is the only logical path to take.
However, what is pondering me is, if I were taken out of the 3rd spatial dimension into the 4th extrusion, I am finding it pretty tough to visualise what I would see.
I am kind of imagining that everything is visible, inside objects etc, but somehow 'unwrapped' into this extra dimension. A little like viewing the whole world like an exploded diagram schematic but it always feeling somehow normal. But then what I wonder is what the 5th dimension would offer.
It's pretty cool really, but my head hurts!
Has anyone else thought they were going mad after reading it
Dave
I think that any attempt by a 3 dimensional brain to visualise a 4 dimensional continuum is doomed to failure, as we simply don't have any way of relating to the 4th dimension. However we can easily visualise ones with fewer dimensions as we can see them ourselves e.g. a flat piece of paper
Hugo a Gogo said:
Apparently it had social connotations too, which you can read into, but it probably had more impact at the time in that regard 
But the immersion and logic is infallible. It is quite stunning. It got it with my "classics" iPhone app for 59p, along with some other greats, it really is worth 100x that so I think I'll be buying the proper book.
It really makes you appreciate dimensions, and possibly try, with good grounding from the books examples of the difficulty with percieving the one above your own, our 4th dimension... and beyond I suppose
I have this feeling that you will just see more in the same we you see now. But somehow, without realising how, there will just be everything irrespective of distance and occlusion, available to see at any given point in your field of view... hmmmmm...
There's a modern retake of this by Ian Stewart called Flatterland which is a very good read. Although getting your head round all those dimensions is tricky. I did have a copy but I can't find it (I'll not make any crap jokes about it falling into the 4th dimension.. 
), which sucks because I want to read it again now!
), which sucks because I want to read it again now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDaKzQNlMFw&fea...
Introduction...
That confuses my perception of what it might be a little.
Still cool though. I just want to go there now. So is it a matter of perception I wonder?! Do we exist in 4d+ and unaware for example, or are we actually discretely in a 3d packet with no access to 4d spatial offsets!?
Would be handy to see in 4d. Limit point driving would be made a bit easier being able to see everything in every detail in your entire field of view
Dave
Introduction...
That confuses my perception of what it might be a little.
Still cool though. I just want to go there now. So is it a matter of perception I wonder?! Do we exist in 4d+ and unaware for example, or are we actually discretely in a 3d packet with no access to 4d spatial offsets!?
Would be handy to see in 4d. Limit point driving would be made a bit easier being able to see everything in every detail in your entire field of view
Dave
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