The meaning of it all

'The meaning of it all' is based on three lectures which Richard Feynman gave in 1963, in which he discusses philosophical themes and questions of science, religion and politics. The lectures were given in the midst of the Cold War, and it is interesting to read his view on the USSR. Apart from that the lectures don't look particularly dated - indeed he points out that much of it could have easily been said in the seventeenth century. Feynman was a brilliant scientist, but this book requires no scientific background to follow the arguments - in fact I would recommend it to nonscientists in order to find out a scientist's view on these important questions.

It has to be said that Feynman had his doubts about the value of such philosophising - in 'Surely you're joking Mr Feynman' he calls it 'a disease of middle age'. But don't let that put you off, I feel that it means that he is wary about grand philosophical schemes, and in these lectures he always tries to get to the root of philosophical arguments. Hence he isn't just 'preaching to the converted' - generating lots of spurious arguments to support an idea - he is actually trying to get people to think about things.