"Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" summary and Four levels interpretation
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About the Author Richard P. Feynman
Author Richard (1918-1988) was born in America. He is one of
the most influential scientists in the world. He is best known for his great
contribution to the development of quantum electrodynamics. He receives Nobel
Prize in 1965 for Physics.
Summary of "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
"Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"is
based on the writer's experience with his college education regarding knowledge
and methods. The writer argues that knowledge must be based on scientific
methods and it must be gained through the interdisciplinary approach. So, this
essay tries to show that the traditional method of learning is baseless and
misleading. Moreover, a talented and genuine man can adjust anywhere in the
world. Interest is the most important motivation in education. Through
interest, one's efficiency in learning can be measured.
Richard P. Feynman was a physics student. He completed his
undergraduate from MIT, America. He loved his institution too much so he wanted
to do graduation from there. However, Prof. Slater did not accept his
enrollment because Feynman had to find out what and how the rest of the world
was going and doing. So, as suggested by Prof. Slater, he decided to go to
Princeton College for his graduation.
He went to Princeton College with his father by car. He also
got a room there. In the hostel, He stayed with his friends. The college looked
like an imitation of Oxford or Cambridge University. One day the Dean of
Princeton College. Prof. Eisenhart arranged a Tea Party to welcome the new
students. Feynman was not very familiar with the culture and manners of such
social gatherings. He got confused about how to behave and where to sit. Mr.
Feynman was asked if he liked cream or lemon tea. He replied that he would like
both. Listening to his reply, all people started laughing. Mrs. Eisenhart,
then, commented, "Surely, You are Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
Gradually, Feynman understood the manners of social
gatherings at Princeton College. Then, he started going to tea parties, and
dinner parties as well. In the very beginning, he used to sit in the group of
physics students but later he started sitting with the groups of biologists,
zoologists, and philosophers. Mr. Feynman became a talented and genuine student
of the college student. He understood the importance of an interdisciplinary
approach to learning. He realized why Princeton College was right for him.
Mr. Feynman got many opportunities to acquire knowledge in
different disciplines during his graduation from Princeton College. He got a
golden opportunity to observe cyclotron about how it works. He was also invited
to conduct a seminar on Biology by Prof. Watson at Harvard University. He gave a lecture to the Biology students of
Harvard University.
Although Mr. Feynman was a physics student, he learned a lot
of things and gained experience in Biology. He loves physics more but equally,
he prefers to gain knowledge from different disciplines.
Application of Four Levels of the essay "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
Literal Comprehension of "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
"Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"is based on the
writer, Richard P. Feynman's past experiences with his college education.
Feynman was a physics student who did his undergraduate from MIT, America. He
wanted to complete his graduation from the same college but Prof. Slater did not
accept his enrollment without finding out what is the rest of the world going
on. According to his suggestion, Feynman decided to study at Princeton College
which seemed like Cambridge or Oxford University.
As he got the enrollment at Princeton College, the Dean of
College, Prof. Eisenhart organized a tea party, where Feynman was also invited.
In fact, Feynman was not quite familiar with the socio-cultural environment of
Princeton College and its surroundings. He was asked which one he preferred to
take either Cream or Lemon Tea, but he replied that he would like both. This
made people laugh and Mrs. Eisenhart said, ‘Surely You're Joking, Mr.
Feynman." However, gradually, Feynman adopted the cultural environment so
that he used to involve in tea as well as dinner parties.
In the very beginning, he only used to sit with the group of
physics, but later, he started sitting with the group of zoology, biology, and
so on. As a result, he became the top ten students in the whole college. He got
many opportunities to perform his talent ship inside as well as outside the
college. Once he was invited to conduct a seminar on biology at Harvard
University. He also realizes the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to
learning though he loves physics much.
Interpretation of "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
This essay "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"is
an autobiographical experience of the writer when he was studying at the
undergraduate and graduate levels. It tries to show that knowledge must be
scientific and can also be better gained through the interdisciplinary
approach. It talks about the importance of the socio-cultural environment that
directly influences in learning. People who are talented and genuine can adjust
to any corner of the world by exploring and using their knowledge.
Feynman as the talented and genuine student of the class got
many opportunities to perform his talent ship even, inside and outside the
college. So, this essay emphasizes the importance of education in human life.
Critical Thinking of "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
This essay is based on the realistic experience of the writer
during his graduation level study. The learner who adopts a socio-cultural
environment and is dedicated to learning, of course, becomes talented like
Feynman. It is better if learning is based on a scientific method and
interdisciplinary approach.
The creativity, innovativeness, and socializing process have
a great impact on learning and getting success. However, some ideas in the
essay are more controversial. Why does Prof. of MIT refuse the enrollment of
talented and genuine students like Feynman? Is it possible to perform the
talent ship in other specialized subjects than one who belongs to a particular
specialized area? Why does Feynman perform many experiments in biology but not
in physics since he was a student of physics?
Assimilation of "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
"Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" has greatly
influenced me regarding how to gain knowledge or education more effectively.
After reading this essay, I come to realize that education based on the
scientific method, learning through an interdisciplinary approach, continuity
at study, socializing in the process of learning, observation, experience, and experiment are
the key to making learners bright, and genuine.
In addition, if the learner is bright in a specific field, he
can live with creative working and honorable prestige in any part of the world.
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Selected Questions – Answers of "Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"
How do you feel about
the strange title of Feynman's essay? Do you think it captures the point
Feynman is trying to make about life and education?
I like the strange title of Feynman's essay "Surely
You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" because it captures the point Feynman is
trying to make about life and education. When Feynman committed the social
error during a tea party organized by the Dean of his college, then after he
learned to behave correctly in a social gathering. Similarly, at the very
beginning, he used to sit only with the group of physics but when he started
sitting with the group from other disciplines like zoology, and biology, then,
he became the top student in the college. Therefore, this essay tries to say
that a lot of fun, different kinds of interests in different disciplines, and
interdisciplinary approaches are key to successful learning.
"Surely you're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"recounts
Feynman's life through his childhood education. He appears confident,
interesting, and inspiring. He discovers that he is a great artist, musician,
scientist, and critic, too. He as a student of physics, shows his talent ship
in philosophy, biology, and many other subjects, too. Therefore, this essay
captures the point Feynman is trying to make about life and education.
Neither Feynman nor
Rushdie or Riva Palacio says anything about religion in the selections of this
unit. They, however, appear to reject conventional wisdom and insist on their
right-actually responsibility to think for themselves. What might be their
views about organized religion?
Neither Feynman nor Rushdie or Riva Palacio says anything
about religion in the selections of this unit. They, however, appear to reject
conventional wisdom and insist on their right responsibility to think for
themselves. They try to focus on scientific approaches to learning such as
experimentation, observation, survey, and research opposing and rejecting
traditional educational methodologies, dogmatic ideas, false beliefs, and wrong
conceptions.
Feynman would like to see things from a different perspective
from the conventional one. His views are irrational regarding the origin of
religion and God. He says that God is always associated with those things that
we do not understand. If we understand how something works, then, we are being
far from God.
Riva Palacio makes a bitter satire about the conventional
system of learning based on memory-based education. He claims that there is no
difference between a parrot (a bird) and a learner (human being) who only
memorizes things in the name of learning. Similarly, he is a secular man.
Therefore, he contributes a lot to charge the Mexican Republic, the most
powerful Christian kingdom into a secular country.
Salman Rushdie also expresses his irrational views about
religion. He is more opposed to the conventional and religious system. He
appeals to the readers to defy any organized religious belief so that they
could achieve freedom in their life. He says that "I do not need the idea
of God to explain the world I live in. He claims that he does not think there
is a need for an entity like God in his life. Thus, all these writers focus on
wisdom, rationality, and human faith in common sense.
Would Sir Salman,
General Riva Palacio, and Physicist Feynman agree with Arundhati Roy's
prescription for the good life (below)? Why or why not? To love. To be loved.
To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable
violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest
places. To purpose beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or
complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to
watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget.
All these three writers agree with Arundhati Roy's
prescription for a good life with self-respect. To Roy, one should respect
one's nature and strength but not power. Similarly, he/she should comprehend
things. In fact, his view is admired by those writers as well as us.
Rushdie says that we must be guided by our better natures.
For the sake of a good life, we should not bow our heads. To him, the worst
nature can be corrupted as well as selfish which should be replaced by loving
and creativity. Similarly, Riva Palacio talks about the significance of self.
He teaches us practical teaching since memory-based education is not good. He
prefers strength, not power, and empowers us to understand others and
ourselves.
Likewise, Feynman never likes violence and the disparity in
life. But he respects the strength of skills and intelligence; however, he
never accepts the power of God. He claims that knowledge is very important and
beautiful in every stage of life. Thus, Salman, Palacio, and Feynman agree with
Roy's prescription for the good life.
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