The Character of Physical Law

Not to be confused with "The Feynman Lectures on Physics"

The Character of Physical Law

File:The Character of Physical Law.jpg First edition
Author	Richard Feynman
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Physics
Genre	Non-fiction
Published	1965 (BBC)
Pages	173 pp.
ISBN	0679601279
LC Class	QC71 .F44

The Character of Physical Law is a series of seven lectures by physicist Richard Feynman concerning the nature of the laws of physics. The lectures were delivered by Feynman in 1964 at Cornell University, as part of the Messenger Lectures series. The BBC recorded the seven lectures and published a book by the same name in 1965. Cornell University published the BBC's recordings on a Cornell website in September 2015.

The lectures covered the following topics:

1. The law of gravitation, an example of physical law
2. The relation of mathematics and physics
3. The great conservation principles
4. Symmetry in physical law
5. The distinction of past and future
6. Probability and uncertainty - the quantum mechanical view of nature
7. Seeking new laws

Reception

Critical reception has been positive. The Physics Teacher gave a favorable review for The Character of Physical Law, writing that although the book was initially intended to supplement the BBC recordings of the lectures, it was "complete in itself and will appeal to a far wider audience" and recommended it to scientists and non-scientists.

See also

• The Feynman Lectures on Physics

External links

• Richard Feynman: Messenger Series lectures videos: hosted by Project Tuva
• Messenger Lecture Series, Richard Feynman:The Character of Physical Law, Cornell University, 7 lectures recorded by the BBC, November 9-19, 1964