Cade Tischer

@caro_physics @PhysicsHawk This happens to me too! Math formulas can be tricky to remember just because there are so many.

@PhysicsHawk Every single thing in math. Every single formula. Every single theorem. Everything. We learn how to do it but not necessarily why we are learning to do it. #feynmanchat1920

Q4-In school, we often learn definitions without actually understanding concepts.  Given an example of when you have experienced this.  #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk This is exactly what happens almost every single day in my AP Environmental Science class. There are so many terms I have never heard of, and we learn the definition once, but it never actually sticks in my head so I just know a bunch of random words without knowing their meaning

@caro_physics @PhysicsHawk Chemistry was a great example! Theres so many things that are so small we can't see them and that really adds a new sense of mystery while learning the subject!

@PhysicsHawk I have seen that specifically in science, mainly chemistry. Sometimes things are mysteries. They can not be seen but we must trust that they are actually happening and actually exist. Like think of water, it is all made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. #feynmanchat1920

Q3-Feynman uses pi to talk about the influence of mystery on his scientific thinking. How have you seen that in your life, in science or any other subject? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk I think I see the most mystery when am learning something that is on a microscopic level such as atoms and the nucleus. Theres a sense of mystery simply because I cannot actually see it so I am not sure what is true and what is not.

@caro_physics @PhysicsHawk This is good! I like how you talked specifically about the straight line as an example. It made everything you said very clear.

@PhysicsHawk The story explaining a straight line through the knitting of socks demonstrates to me that there are other ways of making a straight line than just drawing one. There are measurements and calculations of making something as seemingly simple as a straight line. #feynmanchat1920

Q2-How does the story of the girl explaining how to knit socks affect your thinking about other math and science concepts?  Can you think of another example of how something in one field reveals a math or science concept? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk A story as simple as someone knitting socks can really change your view. It showed me that doing something that I thought was somewhat simple (like weaving two pieces of yarn together) can be much more complex and can sometime require a deeper thinking.

@caro_physics @PhysicsHawk This is a great response, Caroline! I agree with you, when you start recognizing patterns it opens up a whole new kind of thinking.

@PhysicsHawk When we begin to recognize patterns in our thinking or the makeup of things then we can start foreseeing what will happen in the future. Being able to identify what has happened in the past and what is probable to happen in the future is a special skill. #feynmanchat1920

Q1-Feynman’s father wanted his son to be a scientist, so he started teaching him to recognize patterns early.  How does that recognition of patterns become scientific thinking? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk When someone starts to learn how to recognize patterns, they gain a whole new level of thinking. Recognizing patterns allows you to see and understand trends, which is very important part of scientific thinking. Being able to predict something because of past behavior.

@kbjunior11 @PhysicsHawk I also could not imagine the pressure that NASA was under to get that launch going! And I am with you, I would not let public pressure effect me!

@PhysicsHawk I cannot think of what pressure NASA was under to get the launch off, but I feel like where my system would deviate from NASA’s lies in that. Public pressure (or private pressure, at that) would have no part to play in my safety declaration, that’s for sure. #feynmanchat1920.

Q5-Feynman concludes that rules were changed to meet the schedule, allowing flight at unsafe conditions. Given that nothing can be made 100% safe, how would you design a system that balances safety with goals? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk I strongly believe that safety is above goals in all circumstances. Everything that NASA was doing could have waited just a little longer and then had a much safer launch. Unfortunately they valued goals over safety and that led to a massive disaster.

@LThorne19 @PhysicsHawk This is a great analogy Levi! Its very applicable and answers the question well!

@PhysicsHawk A bad grade on a test can be a result of multiple things such as an overload of homework assignments on one day and lack of time to study. It could also result from being tired and unable to focus while taking the test from not getting enough sleep the night before.

Q4-Most disasters aren't caused by one thing. Based on the report, the primary cause is the O-rings, but there are other factors at play that made it worse. What are some things in your lifetime that were likely caused by an interaction of problems, not just one? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk A problem I have ran into is in something like having a bad race. An issue like this stems from multiple things such as not training properly, eating poorly before a race, and not being hydrates. All of these things play a key role in having a bad race.

@KaelibraswellP @PhysicsHawk I agree Kaeli! I think that they were trying to launch the challenger on time and that it was incredibly irresponsible to do that...

@PhysicsHawk I think that they were so determined to launch the Challenger on time that they ignored the potential threat of the O-rings. It was very irresponsible of them and innocent people lost their lives because of this careless mistake.

Q3- The conclusion was that the rubber O-rings wasn't reliable below 32º.  Why do you think that had not been considered before the Challenger explosion? #feynmanchat1920  youtube.com/watch?v=8qAi_9…

@PhysicsHawk I think that the O-Rings were not really considered because they wanted to launch the challenger ASAP. I also think they did not expect something that small to cause that big of an issue like it did.

@kbjunior11 @PhysicsHawk Great examples keenan! I totally agree with the school work portion!

@PhysicsHawk Oh, absolutely. I wouldn’t say I have too many experiences with doing so, but I know sometimes I ignore smaller assignments in school and put them off until the last minute because they aren't priorities, and I have done well on them before. #feynmanchat1920

Q2-Feynman criticizes NASA for noticing erosion in O-rings but assuming that they would work successfully in the future because it had worked successfully in the past. Do we tend to live our lives this way, ignoring problems because it's gone okay in the past? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk Yes we do do this in todays world. We see things that are clearly going to cause an issue (like the coronavirus), and think everything is going to be fine, but then when it ends up heavily effecting us we are unprepared and freak out due to our lack of concern.

@caro_physics @PhysicsHawk I agree caroline! I think that it is crazy that even though he was on the team and proved to be so smart, that they still did not like him.

@PhysicsHawk I think that Feynman has shown from his many other accomplishments how good of a scientist he was. They would have been crazy to put any other scientist on the Challenger investigation team. Maybe they were afraid of what he would find? #feynmanchat1920

Q1-This section is the report Feynman wrote in his role on the Challenger investigation team. He had to fight for its inclusion, and it ended up in the appendix.  What do you think of that? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk I think that it is kind of crazy that Feynman had to put up a fight to be part of the challenger investigation. He has proven himself such a smart man in the past, and the fact that this team did not want him is just crazy.

@LThorne19 @PhysicsHawk Great post Levi! We need to find new approaches to the old things we couldn't past figure out.

@PhysicsHawk When trying to figure something new out, don't just keep trying to figure it out the same way you have discovered old things in the past if that doesn't work. Consider new unknown possibilities and if you can't figure it out be okay with not knowing #feymanchat1920

Q6-Consider this statement. “If we want to solve a problem that we have never solved before, we must leave the door to the unknown ajar.” How can that play out in your everyday life? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk This can play into everyday life in the way that if we don't know something, we shouldn't just push it away and give up, we should leave that door of possibilities open so we can try to go beyond our understanding and learn something new. #Feynmanchat1920