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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!

Richard Feynman#1

CommunicationIgnoranceConversationDiscussion

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

  • group debates
  • casual conversations
  • policy forums

Putting it to work

  • invite diverse views
  • avoid expertise gatekeeping

Questions to consider

  • What topics suit this?
  • Is ignorance helpful?

Another view

Expertise is needed for accurate decisions.

More from Richard Feynman

  1. Principles You can't say A is made of B or vice versa. All mass is interaction.

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  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…

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  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 …

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