Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Latest Reading

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman, foreword by Freeman Dyson, edited by Jeffrey Robbins. Helix Books, Perseus Books, Cambridge, Mass. 1999. This is a very interesting collection where Feynman, one of the brain trust that gave us the Atom Bomb and a Nobel Prize winner, describes what he believes and how he believes it. Considered one of the most brilliant minds in our nation's history and certainly a beloved teacher, he explains himself easily to the unlearned like myself. His inconsistencies philosophically are troubling but are a great help in helping me to understand the modern scientist who is vastly different from the great scientists like Newton and Kepler, Faraday and Lavoisier or Von Leewenoek (sp?) of the past. This is a very interesting book and I recommend it to anyone interested in science. His arguments regarding science versus religion are very enlightening. Recently, a poll was reported that showed that a full 50% of people questioned in the UK and America did not believe in Evolution. I think, in Feynman's book you can understand why modern science has failed to convert that 50% to accept its anti-God theories and beliefs. This book is certainly worth taking the time to read. I imagine he was a fascinating man to know and a terrific teacher, just based on his enthusiasm alone.

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