Richard Feynman: "What's the name of a bird?"
Yves Messer
Why leaders watch it
Feynman's distinction between knowing names and understanding gives a test for shallow versus real knowledge.
A short clip from a 1973 NOVA episode in which Richard Feynman recalls his father teaching him that knowing the name of a bird in many languages tells you nothing about the bird.
Takeaways
- Names are not understanding
- Test whether you grasp the underlying thing
- Demand explanation, not labels
Topics: Decision making & mental models, Learning & growth
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