Michelle in MO Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 About 5-6 years ago I read the book Genius by James Gleick about Richard Feynman. Here's the link, in case anyone's interested: http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Life-Science-Richard-Feynman/dp/0679747044/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207425865&sr=8-1 Anyway, I read in the book about Feynman's famous lectures on physics. I bought one of those sets (not the complete set, but a portion thereof) for my dad for Christmas a few years ago. My father is an amateur science/math lover. I thought I read in this book on Feynman that one of Feynman's lectures was on mathematics, and that it was one of the most stunning lectures he ever attended. Feynman traced the methodology of math from basic addition and subtraction all the way through the upper-level maths. However, I don't know if this lecture was incorporated into the lectures on physics series, or even if it was ever recorded. Does anyone have any additional information on this? If so, I would love to find out! If possible, I'd like to purchase that lecture, if it was ever recorded, and give it to my dad. I've mentioned this lecture that I thought I read about to him before, and he's said each time, "I'd love to hear it." Any help is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 http://www.physicsforums.com/ Someone on the WTN forums recommended this forum for looking into physics books for high school. It was the first I ever heard of Feynman and his name comes up a lot. Someone there also mentioned that his New Zealand lectures were online. Unfortunately, I've looked through about 100 pages there, so I have no idea which thread it came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 I'll save the link and try to do a search. I ought to look at the book again and see if I am remembering correctly about this lecture. It may or may not have ever been recorded. Thanks for the link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraL in OK Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I have The Feynmann Lectures on Physics, a three-volume set. I think Chapter 22 in Volume I is what you've heard about, or at least it seems to match your description. 22. Algebra 22-1 Addition and multiplication 22-2 The inverse operations 22-3 Abstraction and generalization 22-4 Approximating irrational numbers 22-5 Complex numbers 22-6 Imaginary exponents Toward the bottom of the first page of the chapter he says, "To discuss this subject we start in the middle. We suppose that we already know what integers are, what zero is, and what it means to increase a number by one unit.... the assumption that we know what integers are and we know how to count." I have no idea if this section is part of the recorded lectures, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 I'm going to save your e-mail and see if that's the series I bought for my dad. If not, I think I'll get it for him for Father's Day (although I may borrow it from him later!) Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I just wanted to add that Richard Feynman's biography is also great reading. From Book News: "Classic Feynman: all the adventures of a curious character by Feynman, Richard Phillips. Comic stories about his life and work by American Nobel laureate physicist Feynman (1918-88) are compiled from his 1985 Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! and 1988 What Do YOU Care What Other People Think. The included compact disk contains 19 recordings of him telling stories." Some of the stories he tells are laugh out loud funny! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 I just wanted to add that Richard Feynman's biography is also great reading. From Book News: "Classic Feynman: all the adventures of a curious character by Feynman, Richard Phillips. Comic stories about his life and work by American Nobel laureate physicist Feynman (1918-88) are compiled from his 1985 Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! and 1988 What Do YOU Care What Other People Think. The included compact disk contains 19 recordings of him telling stories." Some of the stories he tells are laugh out loud funny! Regards, Kareni and I've heard of the other. I didn't know that there was a CD of him telling stories. That would be hilarious to listen to! Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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