One great teacher

“The rules of the game are what we mean by fundamental physics.” This is Richard Feynman speaking and is quoted in his most remarkable book “QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter”.

This book is a masterful exposition by a master teacher and scientist of quantum mechanics; aimed not at teaching students to do calculations, but at teaching them to understand what's going on behind calculations. Reading this book helps students avoid "a false sophistication which emphasizes technique rather than understanding." Most important, in my estimation, is that it is a book that any lay person can read, understand and enjoy. It will give the rugged individual--undaunted by preconceived notions--an opportunity to appreciate the mysteries and marvels of modern physics.

Feynman, in my opinion as well as many others, is a master scientist, wonderful human being, and most of all a master teacher.

There is a layering quality in book publishing that works marvelously for the lay reader. Such individuals as Kant, Einstein, and Darwin write books explaining their original thoughts. A second layer of authors condense and clarify the thoughts of these original thinkers into a form more accessible to the learning student seeking to join the ranks of the experts. Then there is a third level where a person with fine writing skills takes this material and writes a book that is accurate, polished, and readable for the person looking to understand the general aspects of a domain of knowledge without too many complications.

Richard Feynman is one of those rare creatures who fit all three levels of authorship. Most important to us, who wish to understand without too many complications, Feynman has written a book “QED”, which makes it possible for us to accomplish this task with much pleasure and awe.

Richard Feynman, now deceased, was a theoretical physicist and professor of physics at MIT gave to his students the following description of what physics is all about:

“We can imagine that this complicated array of moving things which constitutes “the world” is something like a great chess game being played by the gods, and we are observers of the game. We do not know what the rules of the game are; all we are allowed to do is to watch the playing. Of course, if we watch long enough, we may eventually catch on to a few of the rules. The rules of the game are what we mean by fundamental physics. Even if we know every rule, however…what we really can explain in terms of those rules is very limited, because almost all situations are so enormously complicated that we cannot follow the plays of the game using the rules, much less tell what is going to happen next. We must, therefore, limit ourselves to the more basic question of the rules of the game. If we know the rules, we consider that we “understand” the world.”

The natural sciences, especially physics, have been very successful at learning the rules of the game. Our didactic (teaching by telling) educational system has been very successful at teaching these rules to their students. The students have been very successful at using these rules and the algorithms and paradigms developed from these rules in developing the high tech economy that we have.

I suggest that any person wishing to gain a fundamental lay person’s comprehension of quantum physic start with this book. It is comprehensible to most anyone who wishes to know; and has the curiosity sufficient to do the work required.

P.S.--If a person decides to self-activate their intellect they need access to lots of books. Libraries loan books. My local community college library has a ‘Friends of the Library’ membership that allows me, for a yearly fee of $25, to take out on loan any book I desire.

You are right in your admiration of Feynman, the Quantum physicist. You have probably already read some of the books by Stephen Hawking like A Brief History in Time, and its sequel which explains some of the difficult concepts of physics for the layman. I myself have a double Masters in Philosophy and Mathematics so I can understand the beauty of the equations that underlie the theories of modern physics. Unfortunately, a knowledge of higher mathematics is required to really get to the bottom of physics, but not necessary to understand the basic fundamental teachings.

I hope that one day when the liars and conmen of the past who created all these idiotic religions are long forgotten except as curios from the past, the names of the true great seekers of truth: Hawking, Feynman, Godel, Cantor, Einstein, Darwin, Dawkins, Sagan, Heisenberg, Maxwell, Planck will live on!

If God exists, it would be THESE men who would KNOW, these men who would REVEAL such a God, these men who could glimpse the mind of God and come away with understanding. All had the similar qualities of a fearless pursuit of the truth no matter where it lay or what it might be. They had courage. They had intelligence. They found it not amiss to place reason over tradition, knowledge over superstition. May their names live forever!

One thing all these men agreed on, whether atheistic or nonatheistic, is that the only GOD that men can give credence to is the one manifested in Nature, and NOT the gods of tradition or revelations of madmen.

You are right in your admiration of Feynman, the Quantum physicist. You have probably already read some of the books by Stephen Hawking like A Brief History in Time, and its sequel which explains some of the difficult concepts of physics for the layman. I myself have a double Masters in Philosophy and Mathematics so I can understand the beauty of the equations that underlie the theories of modern physics. Unfortunately, a knowledge of higher mathematics is required to really get to the bottom of physics, but not necessary to understand the basic fundamental teachings.

I hope that one day when the liars and conmen of the past who created all these idiotic religions are long forgotten except as curios from the past, the names of the true great seekers of truth: Hawking, Feynman, Godel, Cantor, Einstein, Darwin, Dawkins, Sagan, Heisenberg, Maxwell, Planck will live on!

If God exists, it would be THESE men who would KNOW, these men who would REVEAL such a God, these men who could glimpse the mind of God and come away with understanding. All had the similar qualities of a fearless pursuit of the truth no matter where it lay or what it might be. They had courage. They had intelligence. They found it not amiss to place reason over tradition, knowledge over superstition. May their names live forever!

One thing all these men agreed on, whether atheistic or nonatheistic, is that the only GOD that men can give credence to is the one manifested in Nature, and NOT the gods of tradition or revelations of madmen.


Don't worry guys, I don't think it's warrior. She knows how to spell Stephen Hawkings' name.

Don't worry guys, I don't think it's warrior. She knows how to spell Stephen Hawkings' name.
I'm thinking she always did. The playing ignorant was an act just like playing a married lesbian was an act... just like playing smart is an act now.

The whole routine is actually getting rather old. Somebody wanna run out for pizza?

;)
SMW

The phrase "I myself have a double Masters in Philosophy and Mathematics" is kind of ringing alarm bells for me.

I'm still not convinced though.

The phrase "I myself have a double Masters in Philosophy and Mathematics" is kind of ringing alarm bells for me.

I'm still not convinced though.
because the fields are polar opposites? or because someone who just walked in off the street is claiming to have done both..when just one would be a stellar achievement?

Whether its Warrior or not, I strongly agree with the statement.

She seems kind of nutty. To say only those handful of men would know if there is a God or not is asinine. For me, my relationship with God is personal and she nor those men listed would ever know what that is like. Anyhoo, I highly doubt it's Warrior. Warrior is an idiot. This one is a smart idiot.

She seems kind of nutty. To say only those handful of men would know if there is a God or not is asinine. For me, my relationship with God is personal and she nor those men listed would ever know what that is like. Anyhoo, I highly doubt it's Warrior. Warrior is an idiot. This one is a smart idiot.

I think she means that these people have a better chance to understand God that say.. the Pope. God is personal for me as well. Those men had a better chance to find God though their work in science/mathematics and such, rather than those who were/are strictly religious.

The fact that this twisted individual is able to personify so many different personalities, is alarming to me. I'm sure you have all seen or read about people with multiple personalities.....?

As for the topic at hand, I'm with googs on this. I don't care how many handfuls of men say what and where they learned it from. My relationship with God is just that - MY relationship, not what somebody else has found in books or nature. I, personally, am glad that I don't have so many questions about God and whether or not He exists. I do sympathize with those who are still seeking to find their own truth in the matter. The men referenced in the opening quote are/were most likely very brilliant people. That just doesn't matter concerning the question of whether God exists or not. He's real to me, and that's all that matters to me.

:)
Kimi

Let's get this clear once and for all, I am not Warrior, who is a female and after checking a few posts from her found out she was on antidepressants and attempted suicide. I am a male, and not on antidepressants and it's curious how nothing said by me is ever refuted, just snide remarks or ad hominen attacks. But let's bring up an interesting little observation about the "fundie" mindset.

The Fundagelicals to use a word apparently coined by Raymond Moody in his book The Last Laugh are very fond of pointing out that notable atheists like Nietzsche ended up in an insane asylum. I read a few posts from the atheistic or agnostic Warrior who mentioned she'd been on medication and had attempted suicide in the past. Such is given as some kind of proof that the atheistic or freethought mindset leads to depression, mental illness, or immorality.

I'd invite any persons reading this post to visit a mental hospital, or insane asylum and simply take a count and you'll likely find NO atheists at all in the wards, but on the contrary many persons steeped in delusions about hearing God's voice, or in contact with angels or other superstitious nonsense. But this is also no proof against theism either.

As the film A Beautiful Mind shows, insanity can strike ANYBODY religious or nonreligious, from the saintly to the criminal. At any rate, whatever problem you ladies out there have with Warrior who may or may not still post on this site, and there's an easy way to check, and if you like I can show you how to get header information on the posts which will identify source of origin.
I am not Warrior and I'd appreciate being treated as who I am. I care not one whit whether or not any person believes anything I write. Do any of you know what the Witch of Agnesi is? And if you say it was some lady that got burned for Satanism during the Middle Ages the buzzer will sound and you'll have flunked the course.


As far as Philosophy and Mathematics goes, the two fields overlap in the theory of logic and Mathematics came first. Many philosophers were also noted mathematicians to include Renee Descartes who created the Cartesian system of coordinates used in Algebra, and Bertrand Russell with his Principia Mathematica.

Perhaps if some of you regulars ever bothered to read George Boole's The Laws of Thought we'd not have to read such pathetic drivel on this or any other website as commonly confronts the websurfer. But that's asking too much I suppose for a person who believes that the outcome of a battle in ancient Israel hinged on whether Moses had his arms raised or not. When his arms were up the Israelites got the advantage, but when tired the enemy gained the advantage. This is the "factual" history of the Bible? One of my favorites is Elijah striking a river with his staff and making an iron axehead float. Why this trivial display of "magical" power? Well the poor woodsman had borrowed the ax and it fell off while chopping down a tree near the river and the poor bloke could not afford to replace it. Good thing Elijah came along when he did!

Meanwhile the scientific community has recently demonstrated that Mars once had an extensive covering of oceans. And one day, mankind will likely travel to Mars to explore the most earthlike of our fellow planets, no thanks to the Bible thumpers who still think Samson's strength was related directly to the length of his hair, or the little story of Balaam's ass is literal truth and all knowledge is contained in the Good Book. You ladies can have your little laughs and your snide comments, but the general public who reads these posts can only smile at your stupidity.

I'll do some searching of Warrior's posts and we'll settle this matter once and for all. This is in all fairness to myself, as I have no idea what kind of BS Warrior might have posted in the past, or what has gone before between Warrior and some of her detractors.

Final Plea: Warrior, if you are out there or have returned to these boards under another identity please PM me. I'm sick and tired of being confused with YOU and it's high time you step in. Yeah, I can guess what happened. Some one made a snide remark about you and you wrote some choice obscenities or whatnot and got booted off the forums. Well well. Who cares? I for one do not.

I don't care if you're warrior or not. Your posts are very similar, as far as your beliefs and attitude toward those of us who know without a doubt that God exists. On the other hand, your posts are too intelligent and grammatically correct to be the personality that we knew as warrior. Like I said, I don't care who you are. You post something on a public message board, anticipating a response and that's what you get.

I am very interested in all points of view on most all subjects, whether it is relgion or not. I appreciate the writings and observations of people from all walks of life. All I've stated is that I have a personal relationship with God and I sympathize with those who do not.

I hope you aren't warrior. It must be hell living in that head.

Have a nice day.

:)
Kimi

I refute the fact that you're NOT Warrior. After all, even though 'she' was depressed and demented, she said exactly the same things you say... only she couldn't spel gud.

Must make you proud to know that, even though your words are bigger, your thoughts are identical to that of a loony-toon.

Nobody's confused but you, dear.

;)
SMW

While I have to admit your grammer is slightly better then warriors, your post style is dead on.
Especially with all that butt kissiery, youre giving warrior. But considering youre a male and warrior was a woman, I'm going to have to ask you if your wife makes 80 grand a year and some how youre on dissability?
As far as I know anyone who has a spouse who makes 80 grand a year couldnt possibly be on dissability, but who am I to point out an outright lie.

I'd say honesty is the best way to win over a few friends in the end.

Getting a double Masters is no great shakes. I received my second Master's Degree over twenty five years ago. Where I was working pay was indirectly tied to the number of credits beyond a Master's Degree one had. My first Master's was in history with a concentration in Medieval History. My second Master's Degree was in the field of Special Education. I got the first because of a love of the subject matter and the second because it was helpful in a parallel career I had as the assistant to the director of the largest non-school special education program on Long Island. Since I was taking post-graduate credits anyway it was no big thing to concentrate them into a field where they would be most useful.

Any college graduate who has the time and money can get as many Master's Degrees as they desire. Post graduate courses are usually easier than undergraduate courses because of the interest you have in the field of study combined with a background in the area.

I would not be surprised if some of the younger posters here wind up with multiple graduate degrees. I think of Borg and DarkFantasy right off the bat and I know Evakian could do it.

Getting a double Masters is no great shakes. I received my second Master's Degree over twenty five years ago. Where I was working pay was indirectly tied to the number of credits beyond a Master's Degree one had. My first Master's was in history with a concentration in Medieval History.
I'm planning on going for at least my master's in exactly that! What a fun coincidence. :)

I would not be surprised if some of the younger posters here wind up with multiple graduate degrees. I think of Borg and DarkFantasy right off the bat and I know Evakian could do it.
:D