Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Nine erstwhile physicists gathered for the last time at Ventana del Sol and had the following comments:

Surely You’re Joking, Mr Feynman

“Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it.” 
― Richard P. Feynman

One doesn’t hear the term Renaissance Man thrown around in this modern day of specialists – it is usually used to describe those in the past such as Leonardo da Vinci or even Michelangelo. Prof. Genoni would probably nominate Dr. Benjamin Franklin; Ben Smith may even have suggested Sherlock Holmes.  The relevant description is “unquenchable curiosity.” 

Reading Richard Feynman’s charming autobiography, one sees all the attributes:  A strong curiosity for all of Life and the willingness to spend time and effort to investigate all sciences – from physics to bongos to medicine.   Who better than Feynman to entertain his dying wife by encapsulating her in his anti-censor code schemes. 

I truly believe such individuals are born, not made – their inherent desire and drive cannot be controlled, it can only be enjoyed at a distance. 

I would love to hear the story of how he came to writing this book – was it another inward driving force, or the curiosity of what it would take to capture science in a reputedly non-scientific book.  Regardless, he succeeded.

We have all written our own memoirs, our own short autobiographical pieces, and thus we can appreciate what Feynman has captured here.  And you know he is having fun telling the stories, as personified by his liberal use of exclamation marks – I think perhaps half of which were deleted by his editor.  The cover photo is a great one, and is captured in words by his student’s foreword.

 The Sapiens species is propelled forward by such energy, such curiosity, such willingness to go the extra effort – for a laugh or a discovery.  More cowbell, please!  B+

  If I had my way, every child would be sent two quotes:  the “Hello, babies! Welcome to Earth!” quote from Kurt Vonnegut at birth, and this one from Feynman at puberty, or whenever the kid is first asked, “So what do you want to be when you grow up?”:

“Fall in love with some activity, and do it! Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn't matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough. Work as hard and as much as you want to on the things you like to do the best. Don't think about what you want to be, but what you want to do. Keep up some kind of a minimum with other things so that society doesn't stop you from doing anything at all.” 

― Richard P. Feynman