rating: 3.5

Unlike 'The Meaning of It All,' this book sounds like Feynman - not pretentious, approachable, and appreciative of a wide range of subjects. He was known for being able to explain complex ideas in layman's' terms without resorting to technical terms or vague explanations. And that's the way science should be taught ... as ideas for which there is supporting evidence. Not as lists of facts and vocabulary words.

And yes, I did enjoy the second part of the book about Feynman's participation in the Commission that investigated the shuttle disaster. I didn't spend time thinking about the engineering data, but I did try to follow Feynman's line of thought. What did he want to know about the shuttle? How did he pursue answers to his questions? What did he think of the workings of the Commission? I saw all of this explanation as a way to gain insight into the man. Here, too, the incident of the o-ring and the ice water is recounted in Feynman's words.

One little thought that I latched onto was his reaction to the 'group think' process, namely the use of 'brainstorming.' In my experience, that particular step in problem solving is often misused. Sometimes, it's omitted altogether, while at other times a list of brainstormed ideas is generated, but it's never used appropriately, which is what seems to have frustrated Feynman. Ah well, I'm in good company.

Now I want to read "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman." (I think I'm reading these books in the wrong sequence.)

Well, I wanted to give this terrific work 4 stars - but then, I read through the essay, which is called 'The Value of Science', at the end of the book. How beautifully and eloquently he wrote this essay fascinated me, so I had to give this masterpiece well-deserved five stars.
Richard Feynman was indeed a genius and most certainly one of the greatest teachers of all time. His curiosity was unique and his drive to solve and fully understand things is utterly motivating.

I can't recommend this highly enough.

Ako bežný človek vymieňa žiarovku
Vezme žiarovku a vymení ju.

Ako ja vymieňam žiarovku
Nijako. Temnota je môj prirodzený stav a aspoň sa nemusím pozerať na ten bordel.

Ako Feynman vymieňa ziarovku
Najprv mu príde podozrivé, že žiarovka je vypálená, pretože ju nedávno vymieňal. Vymyslí teda myšlienkový experiment týkajúci sa pozmeneného vnímania času, ktorý následne ukáže, že jeho vnímanie času je absolútne v poriadku. Po krátkej úvahe a pár jednoduchých výpočtoch vylúči možnosť, že by v okolí žiarovky bol časopriestor zakrivený viac ako to má bežne vo zvyku. Zavolá teda do najbližšej hvezdárne, kde si overí, že v posledných hodinách nezaznamenali žiadne slnečné protuberancie. Nakoniec pomocou hodinkového sklíčka, sitka na čaj a príkepovej vŕtačky odmeria hrúbku wolframového vlákna. Okamžite vytočí číslo výrobcu, aby si vyjasnil, prečo je hrúbka vlákna 18057x menšia, ako by každý rozumne uvažujúci človek predpokladal, čo z neho v zásade robí superstrunu. Kým počúva výhovorky podnikového právnika, čmára si na papierik jednoduché rovnice týkajúce sa kvantovej mechaniky a difrakcie svetla, ktoré mu vnuknú nápad, ako zdokonaliť výrobu žiaroviek. Spýta sa právnika, či vie, koľko právnikov treba na výmenu žiarovky a hneď si aj odpovie, že odmocnina z -2. Kým si právnik v duchu prepočítava nakoľko je to žalovateľné, Feynman položí a začne koncipovať otvorený list komisárovi EU pre energetiku, v ktorom poukáže na nezmyselné normy, týkajúce sa výroby žiaroviek a navrhne úpravy, ktoré by mohli ušetriť niekoľko miliárd EUR ročne, ktoré ale komisia zavrhne, pretože by mohli ušetriť niekoľko miliárd EUR ročne.
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Vzdelávacie okienko

n  Obsah radioaktivního fosforu v mozku krysy se sníží během dvou týdnů na polovinu. Co to teď znamená? To znamená, že fosfor v mozku krysy - a také v mém nebo vašem - není stejný jako pred čtrnácti dny. Což znamená, že atomy mozku se neustále obnovují. Ty, co tam byly předtím jsou pryč. Tak co je to ta naše mysl? Co jsou to ty atomy nadané vědomím? Brambory z minulého týdne. n

...a týmto dnes Feynman definitívne zmenil môj pohľad na svet, seba a bryndzové halušky.

I was afraid that this book might not be on par with "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character. But, a few minutes into it, I knew that was not going to be the case. Same great anecdotes from his life, peppered with his train of thought: straightforwardness, getting to the bottom of things, and most importantly, not caring what others think!

You know those signs that appear in the back windows of automobiles – those little yellow diamonds that say BABY ON BOARD, and things like that? You don’t have to tell me there’s a baby on board; I’m gonna drive carefully anyway! What am I supposed to do when I see there’s a baby on board: act differently? As if I’m suddenly gonna drive more carefully and not hit the car because there’s a baby on board, when all I’m trying to do is not hit it anyway.

The embodiment of thinking from first principle.
Great chapter about the Challenger detail investigation. Not just the 2 famous bits about Nature that cannot be fooled and the O-Ring; but the full point of view of this very naive genius.

Feynman's straightforward approach to complicated problems has always inspired me as a physicist. He was well aware of the distinction between understanding something and simply knowing its name. He had no problem saying "I don't know.", which is an invaluable quality in a person, particularly in today's world of pure bullshit and misinformation.

The section in which he was hired by NASA to figure out what went wrong with Challenger was fascinating. He examined the problem from many different angles, including the lack of communication between engineers and NASA higher-ups. He illustrated the difference in viewpoints between management and technical employees, and the underlying truth was harsh and discouraging. Engineers discovered potentially dangerous flaws in the spacecraft, but management was more concerned with paperwork and dismissed these issues.

When the government funds and interferes with scientific proceedings, corruption is unavoidable. The scientists were forced to include generous compliments to NASA and the President in their scientific report, under the section where their findings are presented and precautions are advised. Even reading about it was embarrassing. When Feynman threatened with removing his name from the report, they negotiated to move the praise to somewhere else, yet it was still included.

Another source of frustration was seeing how hard the scientists tried to accomplish their jobs despite the red tape and pointless meetings. Feynman's letters and notes shows that he was assigned to just wonder about for a long time, without talking to anyone. How is that an effective way of solving problems and why it was necessary? I don't know. He didn't, either.

Anyways.. It was a privilege to take a peek in Feynman's exceptional brain. Regardless of coming from a scientific background, all of us have something to learn from the way he thinks.

In this book, Richard Feynman shows himself to be many things: a devoted husband, a tragic figure, a dedicated scientist, a superb investigator. The science shown is related both to Feynman's famous part in the investigation of the shuttle disaster of 1986 and to his views of the ethics of science. I feel inspired by Feynman's story.

This book is divided into two halves. One half follows similarly to what he has done in his first book, "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character.

But the other half is particularly important and particularly interesting. About the failures of NASA, and the board by which he was commissioned in to investigate the disaster that occurred. I loved that part a lot, because it reminds me of the very same reason why I want to quit my research institute. Inefficiency, bureaucracy, paper-work to no end, and I am always disrupted by everything.

This is the second book I've read about Richard Feynman alongside the first one( Surely You're Jokingly, Mr. Feynman). I finally finished both books exactly 1 month after I first started reading them.

"What Do You Care What Other People Think?" is not a traditional autobiography but rather a collection of stories and anecdotes.

The book begins with Feynman allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of his personality, his curiosity, and his unconventional thinking. He recounts about his childhood, his true love(Arline), and his encounters with notable figures in the scientific community.



The subsequent chapters delve into Feynman recounting his involvement in the investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. Through his narrative, Feynman shares his experiences serving on the Presidential Commission tasked with uncovering the causes of the tragedy. This section provides valuable insights into Feynman's meticulous approach to problem-solving, his dedication to uncovering the truth, and his willingness to challenge authority when necessary.

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Feynman's ability to express complex scientific topics in a personal and engaging manner is one of the book's outstanding features.

I enoyed the reflections on his personal life, including his relationships, his struggles with illness, and his contemplations on mortality. These introspective moments added depth to the book, providing a more holistic view of Feynman as a person rather than just a brilliant scientist.

I have to be honest that I didn't enjoy this one like I did the first one(Surely You're Jokingly, Mr. Feynman), since this one had a LOT of science talk that I couldn't wrap my head around(especially when he recounted his involvement in the investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986). Regardless, it still left me inspired and in awe of Feynman's remarkable journey.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

After "Surely you're joking Mr Feynman", I was interested for more stories on the curious character, but I didn't like this one as much as the previous one. The stories on the NASA commission were a bit too boring for me. But, it's still a book on Feynman, so it's not like it's bad.

Preface, by Ralph Leighton

--"What do You Care What Other People Think?" Further Adventures of a Curious Character

Index

It’s Feynman. There’s nothing more to say.