kb

@PhysicsHawk I get random books whenever I go to the library. I don't seek out books on 90s comedians, but I can learn things about the effects of drugs and how that derails one's future. Learning occurs in many ways, and branching out into crazier topics promotes learning. #feynmanchat1920

Q5-A inference I drew from Feynman’s conclusion to this story is that each person must build their learning on what they already have in their brains. What could you do to increase the number of things in your brain that you can build on? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk This just shows that our attention is interfered with in different ways. Some people may be able to focus without problems when someone is chewing food in their ear, but I know it's hard for me to do so. The same can be said about discussions with music as well. #feynmanchat1920

Q4-What does the difference in Feynman’s ability to read but not talk while counting and his friend's ability to talk but not read reveal about what interferes with our attention? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk By sheer number of attempts, it makes it more verifiable, but I also believe the dedication it took to do this also makes it better as well. Feynman didn't feel it was necessary to make crazy claims like the other guy did, but he did seek to find out the answer. #feynmanchat1920

Q3-Feynman’s experiment on time was also quite strange and, while it would NEVER qualify as a publishable science experiment, it is better than the one that got published by the psychologist. What makes Feynman’s method better? #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk We could conclude many things based off of one result, but that wouldn't make them true. It wouldn't be smart to retest it, nor would it yield similar results. Counting while having a fever sounds like a dumb idea, anyways. #feynmanchat1920

Q2-Feynman describes a “scientific” experiment that a man did when his wife had a fever and used it to conclude their our sense of time is based on iron reacting in the brain. From a scientific standpoint, what is wrong with his methodology #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk Oh, everyday. It's too easy for me to say that but it's good to have friends that like to discuss things (and not be afraid to give their own opinions) so I don't get complacent with my thoughts. It could be about sports (favorite players), or anything else. #feynmanchat1920

Q1-Feynman's friend Bernie teaches him that thoughts can be visual when he had once only thought of them as verbal. Give an example of a time when your thinking was changed by a friend. #feynmanchat1920

@AwesomeMan582 @PhysicsHawk Stumped, Andrew, you have stumped me. My most intelligent response is: I don't know, and I don't think I can know.

@kbjunior11 @PhysicsHawk Good point Keenan! Math and science make up everything around us even if we aren't thinking about it. But the real question is... "Was math created by humans or was it created by God when he created the earth and we just discovered it??"

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

@GrahamR39014690 @PhysicsHawk That's what you think...

@kbjunior11 @PhysicsHawk That is quite a range of topics, Keenan. From the sound of it however, it looks like you manage to survive it.

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

@PhysicsHawk @TischerCade

@PhysicsHawk French Class. We would learn the words for food, then the next class we would learn which countries spoke French, and were then tested only on the population of Haiti. A shame, because it is a beautiful language if taught right. #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk Some things are mysteries to me, but not for others, which is something I take solace in. While I'm not sure how cells work, I am comforted by the fact that some people do. Most advanced scientific concepts puzzle me still as well (like quantum theory.) #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 Patterns make up daily life, everything from weather to political polls, or money, and stocks. Patterns are highly scientific in the way that looking to the future is all logical, so such thinking could lead to scientific progress. #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 That's true, I just think the difference would be the hesitance to postpone yet again. While losing money and support would be bad because of a third postponement, losing astronauts because of faulty equipment would be worse.

@kbjunior11 That's easier said than done when you literally work for the public. (You're not wrong. It's just harder than that.)

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

@fields_40_ @PhysicsHawk Well said Drew! I agree!

@kbjunior11 @PhysicsHawk I agree perfect storms can come out of no where and most of the time we do not know that they even happened until we look at the aftermath

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 It’s always mild to hot in Florida, and on that day, it was 36º outside. It still is the coldest day on record for Cape Canaveral, of course, nobody expected it. I thought they had pushed the launch multiple times, so they were under pressure to get it done. #feynmanchat1920

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 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

@GrahamR39014690 @PhysicsHawk Good point Graham! I bet they didn't want people to find out holes in their operations, especially because public opinion on NASA isn't necessarily the best right now. #feynmanchat1920

@PhysicsHawk I think his report the reason his report was pushed to the side was because NASA, the managers, and the engineers probably didn't want to have their mistakes and insufficient testing measures revealed to the public, as it would damage their public opinion. #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 they wanted to avoid him being a controversial figure, and that criticism of a tragedy like that wouldn’t go over well. So I can understand, but they are writing the book on what he’s said, so a request from him surely shouldn’t be turned down. #feynmanchat1920