“I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”
Richard Feynman
What Do You Care What Other People Think? (Primary source)
Feynman’s poignant final memoir interweaving tender remembrances of his first wife Arlene’s death from tuberculosis with his determined investigation of the Challenger disaster, revealing both personal vulnerability and professional integrity.
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“You can know the name of that bird in all the languages of the world, but when you're finished, you’ll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird. You’ll only know about humans in different places, and what they call the bird. So let’s look at the bird and see what it’s doing—that’s what counts. (I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.)”
Richard Feynman
“The prize is the pleasure of finding the thing out.”
— Richard Feynman Primary source“For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.”
— Richard Feynman Primary source“I think that to keep trying new solutions is the way to do everything.”
— Richard Feynman Primary source“Knowledge is of no real value if all you can tell me is what happened yesterday. It is necessary to tell what will happen tomorrow.”
— Richard Feynman Primary sourceMore quotes by Richard Feynman →
“Tim was so learned, that he could name a horse in nine languages. So ignorant, that he bought a cow to ride on.”
— Benjamin Franklin Primary source“Rationality is something you get slowly and it has a variable result. But it’s better than not having it.”
— Charlie Munger Primary source“I’m afraid that’s the way it [reality] is. If there are twenty factors and they interact some, you’ll have to learn to handle it—because that’s the way the world is. But you won’t find it that hard if you go at it Darwin-like, step by step with curious persistence. You’ll be amazed at how good you can get.”
— Charlie Munger Primary source“When it is useful to them, men can believe a theory of which they know nothing more than its name.”
— Vilfredo Pareto Primary source