Who is/are your favourite physicist(s) and why?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around participants sharing their favorite physicists and the reasons behind their choices. The scope includes personal preferences, contributions to science, and the impact of these figures on society and education.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express admiration for Einstein due to his genius and philosophical views on science.
  • Feynman is favored for his practical approach to physics and ability to communicate complex ideas simply.
  • Isaac Newton is highlighted for his vast contributions to science, including laws of motion and calculus.
  • John Bardeen is appreciated for his teamwork and pragmatic inventions, despite being less known to the public.
  • Some participants question the perception of Nikola Tesla, discussing his contributions and the impact of his followers on his legacy.
  • Others mention Gauss, debating his contributions to mathematics and physics, and distinguishing him from Newton.
  • Demokritos is noted for his philosophical ideas, with some participants suggesting that his views could have changed the course of science.
  • Participants discuss criteria for choosing a favorite physicist, including humanity, creativity, and teaching efforts.
  • Some express uncertainty about their favorite physicists, listing multiple candidates without a clear preference.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share their favorite physicists but do not reach a consensus on who should be included or the criteria for selection. Multiple competing views and preferences remain throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect personal opinions and criteria for selection, which may vary widely among participants. The discussion includes speculative claims about the impact of certain physicists and their contributions, which are not universally agreed upon.

  • #31
xAxis said:
But Gauss was a mathematician only.
Gauss was a brilliant mathematician-turned-physicist and made huge advances in our understanding of electro-magnetic phenomena, along with developing techniques for more accurate measurements of sundry sorts.

Not to regard Gauss as a physicist is to totally misunderstand the body of his work.
Mathematicians of his day despaired that Gauss, in their view, mis-used his genius on "mere physics" instead of doing pure mathematics.
 
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  • #32
arildno said:
Mathematicians of his day despaired that Gauss, in their view, mis-used his genius on "mere physics" instead of doing pure mathematics.

Haha. He was such a genius that he did BOTH! Meanwhile, accomplishing more than the others combined in only a single subject. How can they despair that? Too many fools roam this Earth.
 
  • #33
well nobody likes indian physicst? C.V.Raman !
 
  • #34
JasonRox said:
Haha. He was such a genius that he did BOTH! Meanwhile, accomplishing more than the others combined in only a single subject. How can they despair that? Too many fools roam this Earth.

i would say gauss was first & foremost a mathematician. he did some physics astronomy, but he was always most at home in math. it probably isn't a good idea generally to try to be at home everywhere. if i tried to be some kind of wildcard like that i would find that i'd really be at home nowhere instead.
 
  • #35
I like Feynman-cool dude, i think he was a genius, good looking too.

Einstein-genius, an inspiration to many

Penrose-because of his book, road to reality

Hawking - admire his determination

Kip thorne (dont really know much about him, but i think its brave of him to have wrote that book...einsteins outrageous legacy)
 
  • #36
Kip Thorne is awesome. his book got me interested in physics. plus he's the only one on the list that actually returned my email.

Charandaskar- he just makes sense to me. I understand him.

Throw Kaku in there too, for favorite not best. Who else came and talked to us?

truth be told though I got to go with Einstein. the only physicist who's word I take as gospel. he just gets righter and righter as time goes on.
 

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