THE PLEASURE OF FINDING THINGS OUT: FEYNMAN ON LEARNING AND DISCOVERY Ben Aaronson, M.A. University of Washington

COURSE DESCRIPTION This seminar is designed to explore the activity of learning and its potential impact on the world in the thought of Richard Feynman. Follow the Nobel laureate physicist as he works on the top-secret Manhattan Project, sluggishly begins an academic career, and creates international incidents. Lessons about life and learning emerge as he attempts to tackle the most complex problems in the universe. Feynman’s insights on learning, pulled from his eclectic life experiences, are relevant to any field of human endeavor.

COURSE TOPICS

Genuine Encounters Feyman’s foray into Brazilian academics. The difference between book knowledge and real understanding. “Triboluminescence” and the “Brown-throated-thrush”. Experiments and encountering phenomena directly. Play and Learning Feyman’s playful relationship with a cafeteria plate that led to his theories on electron orbits in relativity, the Dirac Equation in electrodynamics, and quantum electrodynamics, for which he ultimately received the Nobel Prize. The importance and means of engaging natural curiosity. Authentic Discussion Feynman takes on Neils Bohr at Los Alamos. Seeking honest criticism. Collaborative debate where truth is the only objective. Critical discussion. Learning and Authority The place of authority in learning. When to question, when to accept. Bruce Lee’s three stages of mastery. The Universe in a Glass of Wine The artist’s and scientist’s respective views of Nature. The beauty that emerges from understanding the complexity of phenomena. The concept of beauty from the scientist’s perspective. The Scientific Method Abstracting the game of chess. The evolution of knowledge. Uncovering the underlying rules of the Universe. The Limits of Science Living with doubt. “It’s much more interesting to live not knowing, than to have answers which might be wrong. “ Degrees of certainty. Fixing Things by Thinking: The Practical Application of Knowledge “He fixes radios by thinking!”. Tackling the world’s problems. The Seven Percent Solution. Questioning accepted premises.

Required Reading: Feynman, R. P. (1998). The meaning of it all: Thoughts of a citizen scientist. New York: Basic Books. Excerpts from: Einstein, A., & Infeld, L. (1961). The evolution of physics: The growth of ideas from early concepts to relativity and quanta. New York: Simon and Schuster. Einstein, A. (1974). Ideas and opinions. New York: Bonanza Books. Feynman, R. P., Leighton, R., & Hutchings, E. (1985)."Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a curious character. New York: W.W. Norton. Feynman, R. P., & Leighton, R. (1988). What do YOU care what other people think?: Further adventures of a curious character. New York: Norton. Feynman, R. P., & Robbins, J. (1999). The pleasure of finding things out: The best short works of Richard P. Feynman. Cambridge, Mass: Perseus Books. Feynman, R. P., & Feynman, M. (2005). Perfectly reasonable deviations from the beaten track: The letters of Richard P. Feynman. New York: Basic Books. Feynman, R. P., & Sykes, C. (1994). No ordinary genius: The illustrated Richard Feynman. New York: Norton. Freud, S., & Strachey, J. (1977). Introductory lectures on psychoanalysis. New York: Norton. Gleick, J. (1992). Genius: The life and science of Richard Feynman. New York: Pantheon Books.