There's plenty of scope for discussion - some folks are dead-set against it, while others passionately advocate for barefoot running.
I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall a while back, about a tribe of Indians who ran vast distances barefoot. It was a fascinating read.
Now a friend has been raving about her new "five finger" running shoes, which are basically like a sock with individual toes that protects your feet from the elements, so giving the impression of not wearing shoes.
While I prefer to go barefoot whenever I can, I am not sure that running barefoot is quite my thing - or perhaps it's just that I would rather be swimming or kayaking or tramping or cycling rather than running.
If you want to give it a try, then why not download Barefoot running : step by step by Ken Bob Saxton and Roy M. Wallack as an ebook, or you can place a hold on the print version.