Think you know Richard Feynman? - comments

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers around a quiz about Richard Feynman, highlighting participants' scores and their familiarity with his life and work. Many users expressed surprise at their scores, with some achieving high marks like 11/12, while others struggled, scoring as low as 2/12. A recurring issue mentioned was an error in question 5 regarding Feynman's condition, which led to confusion among quiz takers. Overall, the discussion reflects a mix of admiration for Feynman and a desire for more accurate information about his contributions to science.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Richard Feynman's contributions to physics
  • Familiarity with Feynman's autobiographies and biographies, such as "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
  • Knowledge of the Challenger disaster and Feynman's role in the investigation
  • Awareness of synesthesia and its implications in cognitive science
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Richard Feynman's biography and key works, including "QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter"
  • Explore the details of the Challenger disaster and Feynman's contributions to the investigation
  • Investigate the phenomenon of synesthesia and its relevance to cognitive psychology
  • Watch lectures and interviews featuring Richard Feynman to gain insights into his teaching style and philosophy
USEFUL FOR

Students, educators, physicists, and anyone interested in the life and contributions of Richard Feynman, as well as those looking to enhance their knowledge of scientific history and trivia.

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Greg Bernhardt submitted a new PF Insights post

Think You Know Richard Feynman?

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Greg Bernhardt said:
Post your scores :)
I got 4 and failed:smile:.
By the way I don't know about him as he is not talked about in high school as Einstein is talked about.
Just took the quiz for seeing my luck.
2 answers I knew, other were guesses.

There is error in question 5 of "what condition he had"
It's showing the wrong answer that I have chosen but not the correct one.
 
He doesn't quite reach the level of pop sci fame that Einstein does.
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
He doesn't quite reach the level of pop sci fame that Einstein does.
That's true.
 
No option is coming correct for question 5.
I've tried the quiz 4 times for seeing the correct answer.
 
Raghav Gupta said:
No option is coming correct for question 5.
I've tried the quiz 4 times for seeing the correct answer.
Fixed, thanks
 
2?
Odd.
It's been only 20 years since I've read his biography.
 
6/12
 
  • #10
5/12 - the only thing I was fairly sure of was his doctoral advisor.
 
  • #11
8/12
 
  • #12
I didn't know any of these. Guessed on all of them and got 3/12, as one might expect.
 
  • #13
I got 11/12 and in my opinion Richard Feynman is my favorite scientist.
 
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  • #14
10/12. I don't know if I am ashamed or proud of this.
 
  • #15
6, all guesses except picking locks,

I've only read a bit of him, but seen a fair bit of video / lectures, and yea he is great! I really enjoyed his take on the discovery inquiry, as sincere as he is bright i guess. hmmm...makes me wonder if there are Einstein lecture videos?
 
  • #16
8/12

I've read Gleick's Genius and Surely You Must Be Joking ...

These covered family (Joan), Wheeler, Manhattan and locks, Cornell, Brazil, painting, FD's on the van. Couldn't quite recalll IQ, off by 5. Knew Challenger failure odds were low, but thought 1:100. Never read about the synaesthesia, and couldn't be bothered to look up the exact year for QED.
 
Last edited:
  • #17
10/12

#2 needs to be changed to "drawing". And I'll need a citation for #5. I know that Richard Cytowic thinks Feynman had synesthesia, but I don't believe Feynman, himself, made any such claim.
 
  • #18
5. I read his autobiography about 25 years ago, so I'm not surprised.
 
  • #19
6/12

I kinda like Feynman more than Einstein. Feynman seems, real. Colorful. Human.
 
  • #20
Greg Bernhardt said:
Post your scores :)
8.

I read his autobiographies a long time ago, so I knew a few things, e.g that he was a painter. But the questions were very difficult. It's not that easy to know the exact year he won the Nobel (I actually guessed that one right), or that probability that he estimated. It would probably have been better to ask what he got the price for, or who he shared it with, and to ask what investigation he was involved in.
 
  • #21
9. Woohoo.. Told you I'd do better on Feynman than on Einstein.
 
  • #22
That being said, it was very informative. Didn't know he had synesthesia.
 
  • #23
Fredrik said:
8.

I read his autobiographies a long time ago, so I knew a few things, e.g that he was a painter. But the questions were very difficult. It's not that easy to know the exact year he won the Nobel (I actually guessed that one right), or that probability that he estimated. It would probably have been better to ask what he got the price for, or who he shared it with, and to ask what investigation he was involved in.
Too easy :)
 
  • #24
6 out of twelve, but that's what you get for guessing. Fun quiz.
 
  • #25
9/12 woo . got the date and IQ wrong because numbers are hard to remember.
 
  • #26
2/12... Seems I heard about him first time. One Confession: I forgot quantum mechanics long ago:biggrin:
 
  • #27
8 but I had luck on 5 of my guesses :-)
 
  • #28
8, including a couple of guesses.
 
  • #29
10/12 guessed the 1/200 given I knew his IQ test was 125 and they were going to be mutually exclusive middle answers.. really thought it'd be barber though given it was kind of the odd one out
 
  • #30
10 out of 12
 

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