The Human Touch by Michael Frayn

Have you ever thought that the world makes no sense? Fear not, because so does awardwinning playwright, novelist and all-round amiable genius Michael Frayn.

What's more, Frayn has better reasons for taking this view than most of us and he presents these in his new factual book, The Human Touch. For years, Frayn has penned fictions like Headlong and plays like Copenhagen in which our standard notions of truth and meaning are put to the test. In The Human Touch, Frayn explains the scientific and philosophical basis for the uncertain vision of life depicted in these earlier works. According to Frayn, those who claim that the universe is governed by reliable scientific laws are holding on to a fantasy. Frayn relates how the latest facts – if there can be such things – about quantum mechanics show us that all human knowledge is ultimately uncertain. Effects can pre-date causes. Even poor old mathematics is bogus. Two plus two may make five after all. If all this sounds a little too taxing for some readers, don't worry – Book Notes is sure that Frayn is the perfect choice to explain the inexplicable in a funny, fascinating and easy-going way.

Ronan Browne is currently on leave