One Feyn Man

National Review ^ | January 13 2006 | Cathy Seipp

[RightWingAtheist]

Yup, Genius, by James Gleick, was my introduction to Feynman as well. THe first book I read by Feynman was QED. Although it's the name of the theory he created (along with the all-too-often forgotten Julius Schwinger and Shin-Hiro Tomonoga), it's also apt in describing in his explanatory style.

[redhead]

"I've never heard of him, but he sure sounds like he'd be worth reading.

Here you go...

[Tax-chick]

I think "Surely You're Joking" was the first book I read. An amazing character.

[American Quilter]

Ooh, thanks!

[American Quilter]

The main reason feminists don't like him wasn't the cop story, it's the chapter in his book (I forget which one) where he describes how he could go into a bar and always leave with a woman to sleeop with, simply by treating her horribly, like she was worthless.

Feminists hate it because it's true!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Well, I'm a rightwing Theist, and I still loved Feynman, and I find it amazing that people today don't know who he is.
Feynman was a great purveyor of facts and fascinating to listen to and to read, also.

[poindexters brother]

... You are referring to "Six Easy Pieces", an undergraduate lecture series widely available on audio cassette.

I have 6 Easy Pieces loaded onto my iPod for listening when I travel on airplanes.

I read "Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman" several years ago and enjoyed it. Especially the "Cargo Cult Science" piece and the description of how he got a reputation as a lock picker.

Favorite quote from the Surely You're Joking... book:

"The first principle [when doing an experiment] is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool"

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

I'm a rightwing deist evo-skeptic who loves Feynman.
I have his comprehensive 40-disk undergrade lecture series, a whole year's worth of lectures.

[thulldud]

I remember the way that dirty rascal set me up and then dashed my hopes in his account of that experiment.

When they pressurized the bottle the top of it separated and came off with a bang and a massive gout of water. All this in the high-energy physics lab, of course, which got Feynman warned off with the order to take his "freshman experiment" elsewhere.

He never did tell which way the thing turned.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Wish I had that myself. I loved listening to him, and reading his stuff that I had the background for. Reading about physics has been a favorite hobby of mine since I was about 11...

[SuziQ]

And the one feature Feynman noticed is missing from all cargo-cult science is what he calls “a kind of scientific integrity, a principle of scientific thought that corresponds to...a kind of leaning over backwards. For example, if you’re doing an experiment, you should report everything that you think might make it invalid — not only what you think is right about it.”

Is this what you're talking about when you mention something being "Falsifiable"?