Day10: Richard Feynman

The reason: He teaches the pleasure of finding things out

Richard Feynman is one of the best theoretical physicists in American history. He received the Nobel prize in 1965 For his contributions to the development of quantum electrodynamics with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga. We was born in NYC in 1918 and died in California in 1988. He was scientist and teacher. The way of his living left me a lot and taught me about how to live as a scientist.

• The struggle

He was not interested in publishing pretty papers. He was struggling, more intensely than I had ever seen anyone struggle, to understand the workings of nature by rebuilding physics from the bottom up. Feynman, Richard P. (2005-04-06). The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman (Helix Books) . Basic Books. Kindle Edition.

 There is conflict ideas struggle and fun to physics. As Elon Musk said, because people struggle to solve the problem, people never forget how he solved problem. And when we finally solved problem tremendous pleasure come to him. The best scientist struggle hardest because the problem he is trying to solve is the hardest problem people can think of. But he can’t live without trying.

• The pleasure of finding things out

Feynman always said that he did physics not for the glory or for awards and prizes but for the fun of it, for the sheer pleasure of finding out how the world works, what makes it tick. Feynman, Richard P. (2005-04-06). The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman (Helix Books). Basic Books. Kindle Edition.

The science and technology is different. Science is more like purpose. Technology is like means to purpose. For example, I am physicist studying magnet. My goal is to find out why the magnet has this magnetic property? I am just curious why. Why is this material different from others? Why do these materials have same properties? So, I have to answer the question why. So then, I build hypothesis. Assuming the hypothesis is right, we do experiments. The questions and hypothesis requires technology to do experiment because the hypothesis needs to be tested. Nevertheless hypothesis turned to wrong, finding things out is great pleasure.

• Integrity

Now, Dr. Keel started out by telling me that he had a degree in physics. I always assume that everybody in physics has integrity—perhaps I’m naive about that —so I must have asked him a question I often think about: “How can a man of integrity get along in Washington?” It’s very easy to read that question another way: “Since you’re getting along in Washington, you can’t be a man of integrity!” Feynman, Richard P. (2011-02-14). “What Do You Care What Other People Think?”: Further Adventures of a Curious Character (Kindle Locations 2500-2503). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

 When I just graduated my Ph.D. program, I just wrote my blog in Japanese. Throughout my struggle in Ph.D. thesis, I had been asking myself. What is needed most to be physicist. I wrote the answer was “honestly”.  It is hard to know the law of nature. Many try should be fail. I could add false data to short cut my way. But I don’t, because without honestly, the science meaning anything. Just I know this isn’t right. So, anyone who keeping honest whatever required in human society like promotion or money, I think they are man of integrity in front of nature.

• Because he gave Japanese compliment.

He came to Japan with his wife Gweneth because Kyoto University invited him to their conference. After the conference they have time Gweneth and Feynman had decided to travel around Japan and then they decided to go nowhere small town in Japan. And then they also went to University of Kanazawa, Noto Peninsula. They happened to see transitional ceremony.

My Japanese is very poor, so I say something in English: “I love Japan,” I say. “I am particularly impressed by your tremendous rate of technological change, while at the same time your traditions still mean so much, as you are showing with this shrine dedication.” I tried to express the mixture I saw in Japan: change, but without losing respect for traditions. Feynman, Richard P. (2011-02-14). “What Do You Care What Other People Think?”: Further Adventures of a Curious Character (Kindle Locations 985-988). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

Just his word saves me a lot. One of the brightest scientists respected what we are trying to do. And I would like also to say “I love America”.