Book Review: Feynman Lectures on Computation

ByGeorges Lteif

I. About this Book

Title

Feynman Lectures on Computation

Author

Richard P. Feynman

First Published

1996

Edition

First

Pages

303

II. Who Should Read “Feynman Lectures on Computation”

Feynman prepared lectures on computation, which he delivered between 1983 and 1985. The lectures were recorded and subsequently made into a book, “Feynman Lectures on Computation”. These lectures cover various computer science-related topics, such as computer design, theory of computation, communication theory, and quantum computing.

Having been trained as an engineer, I expected most of the book’s chapters to be familiar, which turned out to be the case. What was positively surprising, however, was how much fun it was to reread material you thought you intimately knew, delivered in Feynman’s unique and insightful style. Aside from two minor weak points we discussed later, the book is a superb refresher on computation, logic circuits, and computer organisation. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the topic. I think computer science students and professionals will find it particularly rewarding.

III. “Feynman Lectures on Computation” Synopsis

The book is divided into seven chapters, as follows:

  • Chapter 1: Introduction to Computers
  • Chapter One introduces the filing clerk model, a brilliant analogy and abstraction of what computers do at their most fundamental level.
  • Chapter 2: Computer Organisation
  • Chapter Two discusses logic gates and combinatorial logic, providing examples such as shift registers and flip-flops.
  • Chapter 3: The Theory of Computation
  • Arguably the most insightful chapter of the lot, it examines finite state machines (FSM), Turing machines, computability, and the halting problem.
  • Chapter 4: Coding and Information Theory
  • Chapter 4 introduces information theory, Shannon’s theorem, message compression, and coding techniques.
  • Chapter 5: Reversible Computation and the Thermodynamics of Computing
  • Academic in nature but interesting nevertheless, chapter 5 examines the relationship between thermodynamics, entropy and information.
  • Chapter 6: Quantum Mechanical Computers
  • This chapter talks about computers having the size of atoms. Surprisingly, it did not cover any modern concepts that make quantum computing the dazzling technological breakthrough it is today.
  • Chapter 7: Physical Aspects of Computation
  • The final chapter is dedicated to the physics of semiconductors and electronic circuits.

Central Themes of “Feynman Lectures on Computation”

IV. What I Liked About “Feynman Lectures on Computation”

  • Coverage
  • The book covers topics that interest computer scientists and engineers. It covers many areas, from the purely academic to the very practical.
  • Writing Style
  • What’s captivating about Feynman’s writing is that he explains the stories behind the theories and the problems that the technologies aim to solve.
  • This unique ability to turn dry material into engaging discussions is one of Feynman’s best teaching techniques.
  • Accessibility
  • Modern popular science books tend to be voluminous and tedious, as they try to target as broad an audience as possible. To achieve that aim, writers must explain every bit and piece, lengthening the book unnecessarily and dulling it.
  • Luckily, the opposite is true for “Feynman Lectures on Computation”. The book is highly accessible, concise and enjoyable.
  • Depth
  • While the “Feynman Lectures on Computation” covers many topics, there are few shortcuts when explaining complex concepts.
  • Feynman did a brilliant job explaining the halting problem with Turing machines and the relationship between thermodynamic entropy and information in a way few other experts could have.

V. What Could Have Been Better in “Feynman Lectures on Computation”

  • The chapter on Quantum Computing
  • I have to say the chapter on quantum computing was disappointing. Some diagrams seemed to be missing (6.2 to 6.7), and perhaps some parts of the chapter.
  • I could not follow the explanation of how the CONTROLLED CONTROLLED NOT matrix was implemented with more primitive logic functions (which are also matrices).
  • It was also unclear what the purpose of the discussions was. Was it trying to explain how a tiny computer could designed and constructed? Or was it trying to show how quantum mechanical properties of physical laws can be leveraged to produce faster and smaller computers?

Having said that, “Feynman Lectures on Computation” is a great read and a precious item in any computer scientist’s library; highly recommended.

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