5 ms·

I don't think people in this thread have realized this, but the issue here is about an application of Gauss's law, not the law itself. If you write in a math t

I don't think people in this thread have realized this, but the issue here is about an application of Gauss's law, not the law itself. If you write in a math test "d^2/dx^2 sin(x) = sin(x)" and complain that you have not been awarded points because a famous book on calculus has this equation in it, then you are appealing to authority instead of making an argument.

foldr 5y ago
Right, but if you read the letter, the student isn't really complaining. She's just asking Feynman for an explanation of what the paragraph means. Another relevant details is that "the class was a survey course for non-majors".
- b215826 5y ago
  That paragraph is wrong. So it's pointless to wonder why Feynman wrote what he wrote (that is unless you are interested in the man himself). She specifically had a PS in the letter where she said she had "a devious motive in writing to [Feynman] because on the exam [she] answered with the explanation that [Feynman's] book gave". I'm sure Feynman would've had his share of experience with grade grubbers and probably (and a bit unkindly) assumed that this woman was one. She also clearly refused to believe her professor when he explained the problem to her. Yes, Feynman could have been more kinder and more charitable with his time, but if you have worked in academia, then you'll also know that the vast majority of professors would completely ignore correspondence of this sort from an undergraduate.
  - foldr 5y ago
    The student wasn't sure if the paragraph was wrong or if she'd misunderstood what Feynman was saying in it. So she asked him. >She also clearly refused to believe her professor when he explained the problem to her. There's nothing in the letter to support this conclusion. But in any case, you can't coherently criticize the student both for believing Feynman and for not believing her professor! I thought the point was that she wasn't supposed to 'believe' anyone. And yes, of course the student was hoping that Feynman might have turned out to be right after all so that she could get some extra points on the test. So what?
    - b215826 5y ago
      > The student wasn't sure if the paragraph was wrong or if she'd misunderstood what Feynman was saying in it. So she asked him. And he answered that question. > I thought the point was that she wasn't supposed to 'believe' anyone. I am presuming that her professor actually showed her why she was wrong, instead of asking her to take his word for it. > And yes, of course the student was hoping that Feynman might have turned out to be right after all so that she could get some extra points on the test. So what? You don't get it. Gauss's law is a very very elementary law (usually taught in high school). Her professor would have most definitely explained why he took off points from her exam. There are two explanations now as to why she included that PS: i) she didn't understand her professor's explanation, and hence also did not understand Gauss's law properly, ii) she was grade grubbing. I cannot sympathize with her for (i) since she most definitely did not make an effort to understand her professor's simple argument, yet she found the time to write a letter to Feynman. Also, W&M is a large research university with multiple physics professors and graduate students and it's unlikely that no one would have been able to help her with this. So she clearly didn't try hard enough to understand Gauss's law and that's not Feynman's fault. And I really cannot sympathize with her if it's case (ii).
      - selimthegrim 5y ago
        a) Gauss’s Law is not typically a HS subject in USA b) William and Mary, although close to Thomas Jefferson lab, is not an R1
        b215826 5y ago
        a) Makes no difference to the argument. I'm not criticizing the student for writing to Feynman. I'm just saying that Feynman was absolutely right in his criticism, considering how elementary the subject matter is. b) Also doesn't make any difference. I'm familiar enough with W&M to know that (i) it has a full-fledged graduate program and (ii) professors there collaborate extensively with JLab in both theory and experiment, though I admit that I don't know if that was the case when this student wrote the letter.

foldr 5y ago

Right, but if you read the letter, the student isn't really complaining. She's just asking Feynman for an explanation of what the paragraph means. Another relevant details is that "the class was a survey course for non-majors".

b215826 5y ago
That paragraph is wrong. So it's pointless to wonder why Feynman wrote what he wrote (that is unless you are interested in the man himself). She specifically had a PS in the letter where she said she had "a devious motive in writing to [Feynman] because on the exam [she] answered with the explanation that [Feynman's] book gave". I'm sure Feynman would've had his share of experience with grade grubbers and probably (and a bit unkindly) assumed that this woman was one. She also clearly refused to believe her professor when he explained the problem to her. Yes, Feynman could have been more kinder and more charitable with his time, but if you have worked in academia, then you'll also know that the vast majority of professors would completely ignore correspondence of this sort from an undergraduate.
- foldr 5y ago
  The student wasn't sure if the paragraph was wrong or if she'd misunderstood what Feynman was saying in it. So she asked him. >She also clearly refused to believe her professor when he explained the problem to her. There's nothing in the letter to support this conclusion. But in any case, you can't coherently criticize the student both for believing Feynman and for not believing her professor! I thought the point was that she wasn't supposed to 'believe' anyone. And yes, of course the student was hoping that Feynman might have turned out to be right after all so that she could get some extra points on the test. So what?
  - b215826 5y ago
    > The student wasn't sure if the paragraph was wrong or if she'd misunderstood what Feynman was saying in it. So she asked him. And he answered that question. > I thought the point was that she wasn't supposed to 'believe' anyone. I am presuming that her professor actually showed her why she was wrong, instead of asking her to take his word for it. > And yes, of course the student was hoping that Feynman might have turned out to be right after all so that she could get some extra points on the test. So what? You don't get it. Gauss's law is a very very elementary law (usually taught in high school). Her professor would have most definitely explained why he took off points from her exam. There are two explanations now as to why she included that PS: i) she didn't understand her professor's explanation, and hence also did not understand Gauss's law properly, ii) she was grade grubbing. I cannot sympathize with her for (i) since she most definitely did not make an effort to understand her professor's simple argument, yet she found the time to write a letter to Feynman. Also, W&M is a large research university with multiple physics professors and graduate students and it's unlikely that no one would have been able to help her with this. So she clearly didn't try hard enough to understand Gauss's law and that's not Feynman's fault. And I really cannot sympathize with her if it's case (ii).
    - selimthegrim 5y ago
      a) Gauss’s Law is not typically a HS subject in USA b) William and Mary, although close to Thomas Jefferson lab, is not an R1
      - b215826 5y ago
        a) Makes no difference to the argument. I'm not criticizing the student for writing to Feynman. I'm just saying that Feynman was absolutely right in his criticism, considering how elementary the subject matter is. b) Also doesn't make any difference. I'm familiar enough with W&M to know that (i) it has a full-fledged graduate program and (ii) professors there collaborate extensively with JLab in both theory and experiment, though I admit that I don't know if that was the case when this student wrote the letter.