Richard Feynman
Theoretical physicist (1918 to 1988); shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics for fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics; at the California Institute of Technology at the time of the award.
Everything they publish, on ppll ↗
Richard Feynman did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
-
Their wordsDetails that could throw doubt on your interpretation must be given, if you know them.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 1st of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsIf you make a theory, for example, and advertise it, or put it out, then you must also put down all the facts that disagree with it, as well as those that agree with it.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 2nd of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsIn summary, the idea is to try to give all of the information to help others to judge the value of your contribution; not just the information that leads to judgment in one particular direction or another.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 3rd of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsThe first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool. So you have to be very careful about that.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 4th of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsI’m talking about a specific, extra type of integrity that is not lying, but bending over backwards to show how you’re maybe wrong, that you ought to do when acting as a scientist.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 5th of 7 in this piece
-
Our reading
A scientist should explain to laymen what they are doing, even if that costs public support
Their wordsIf you’re representing yourself as a scientist, then you should explain to the layman what you’re doing—and if they don’t want to support you under those circumstances, then that’s their decision.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 6th of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsIt is very dangerous to have such a policy in teaching—to teach students only how to get certain results, rather than how to do an experiment with scientific integrity.
↗Cargo Cult Science (Caltech commencement address, 1974)calteches.library.caltech.edu 7th of 7 in this piece
The line under a date fills as the words age, a quarter at a time: past a month, six months, a year, and three years. Empty means said within the last month; full, more than three years ago. It says when, not whether it still holds — a change of mind is marked on the claim itself.
Dashed means we only know the words existed by that date; they may be older.