On the contrary, it's because someone knows something about it that we can't talk about physics. It's the things that nobody knows about that we can discuss. We can talk about the weather; we can talk about social problems; we can talk about psychology; we can talk about international finance... so it's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- We can only discuss topics where no one knows enough to be wrong.
- In plain terms
- We talk about things nobody knows well.
- What can you take from it?
- Ignorance allows open conversation on complex topics.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What topics suit this?
- Is ignorance helpful?
Another view
Expertise is needed for accurate decisions.
More from Richard Feynman
Principles You can't say A is made of B or vice versa. All mass is interaction.
Permalink to quote #2 It doesn't seem to me that this fantastically marvelous universe, this tremendous range of time and space and different kinds of animals, and all the different…
Permalink to quote #3 On the infrequent occasions when I have been called upon in a formal place to play the bongo drums, the introducer never seems to find it necessary to mention …
Permalink to quote #4
Related quotes
How is this? Ought not the petitioner to speak first, and the conqueror to listen in silence?
Lucius Cornelius SullaLucius Cornelius Sulla quote #1 What's on your mind, if you will allow the overstatement?
Fred AllenFred Allen quote #3 Although there exist many thousand subjects for elegant conversation, there are persons who cannot meet a cripple without talking about feet.
Ernest BramahErnest Bramah quote #3