/sci/ - Science & Math

>>6475547

>mfw you're a lying piece of shit

>>6475549

Nope. I go to the best university in my country too, it's absurd.

>>6475554
Is your country Sudan or something?

It's a shame that all your knowledge will actually be useless in your classes and you'll end up below the average.

At least you still have your fedora

>>6475560
www.REKT.gov

>first year mathematics and students don't know who Eisenstein is

>>6475563
I feels ya. Whenever Eisenstein is mentioned, people always think that someone misspelled "Einstein."

>>6475547

Do you actually know Feynman's work or do you just know him because of his fame and biographies? If you just know him because of the latter, you're just idolizing someone the way someone idolizes any other celebrity.

I doubt many freshman undergrad have broached into QED before, so I don't expect them to know who Feynman is, regardless of his series of famous lectures.

>>6475560
You don't get it, do you?

The fact that university students who intend to study physics could know so little about its main historical figures, shows how disconnected physics has become from the mainstream culture.

This is something to be worried about, because it means the number of people going into college to study physics will diminish.

It's not about a feeling of superiority, it's about the complete lack of knowledge a layperson, and even physics STUDENTS, have about its history.

>>6475571
If anyone actually knows about Feynman, they must know at least something about his contributions to physics. Like "Feynman diagrams", for example.

>>6475578
>If anyone actually knows about Feynman, they must know at least something about his contributions to physics.

That's quite a big assumption there.

>mfw in first year and communications students don't know who Lindsay Lohan is

>>6475573
I don't see any problem here

>>6475587
Well I mean, fucking PHYSICS STUDENTS would know something about Feynman's contributions, if they know about him at all.
After all, true science students won't just extoll a random scientist unless they know that the scientist actually contributed to his/her field.

>>6475599

Are you just referring to students in introductory Physics or actual Physics students. If it's the latter, just fucking explain to them who Feynman is and introduce them to his lectures.

Stop judging people over stupid shit. It's not productive whatsoever.

>>6475573

>studies physics

>expects history lessons

>>6475602
Yeah, I was referring to actual Physics students. I thought that's what OP was talking about, too.

>Stop judging people over stupid shit.
I'm not judging them, I'm just annoyed about how little people know about the great historical figures of physics, when they happily learn about other historical figures who contributed nothing, or worsened society.
Also, see this: >>6475573

>>6475612
Well, if you learn physics, you will eventually learn about the people who helped create it.
At a certain point in physics education, not knowing who Feynman is is like not knowing who Newton or Einstein were.

>>6475617
>how little people know about the great historical figures of physics

This shouldn't matter. In science the only thing you should be worrying about is thinking of an idea and testing it. Idolization shouldn't be muddied into the mechanisms of science.

>>6475633
If they're a competent physics student, then they should have come across the name Feynman in their studies. Not knowing it implies that they lack general knowledge.

>>6475633
Yes, but the lack of knowledge about the history of physics among the general population, even among students of physics, is disturbing.

Why are "Hitler" and "Stalin" well-known names in any household, but "Feynman" and "Heisenberg" aren't? That's bullshit.

>>6475647
>"Heisenberg
what everyone knows the guy from breaking bad

>implying first years should know things
If anything it's encouraging that they were inspired to do physics for the sake of the subject rather than pop sci historical bullshit "lol feynmann was so smrt his diagrams so tricky i wanna be like him"

>>6475659
>Heisenberg
>guy from breaking bad
for fuck's fucking sakes. This is what I'm talking about.
I know this is a joke, but most laypeople would respond in this way.

>>6475641

This elitism isn't going to get you anywhere. Yes, it is a form of elitism. How about you're reserve your judgement until you get a good grasp of their capacity for research and learning. In 4 years, tell us whether or not them knowing who Feynman was, actually impacted their performance at the uni.

>>6475647

People tend to remember monsters, because they frighten them. I understand if it bothers you that others get more attention than scientists, but that's life. However, this is occurring right now. Consider the big names of history from over 2000 years ago. When you go that far back, the list of influential people diminishes and Philosophers (the scientists of yesteryear) are remembered in greater numbers. I'd wager to say that a great many of people have at least heard of Plato and Aristotle.

>>6475673
umm obviously everyone has played with playdo as a kid so everyone heard of it

>>6475673
>In 4 years, tell us whether or not them knowing who Feynman was, actually impacted their performance at the uni.
I'd be willing to bet that knowing who Feynman is has a bearing on university performance. As I said, his name is plastered everywhere within physics. If you don't know it, this indicates a lack of initiative and a lack of interest/curiosity that should spurn someone to read about physics. Both of these things have a bearing on whether or not someone will succeed.

>>6475684
Thank you for your contribution.

>>6475686
This guy gets it.

If a first-year student knows who Feynman is, that probably means that the student has a genuine interest in physics (since he's read stuff and as a result, he knows his shit), and is therefore more likely to do well.
A large part of being "good" at physics is actually caring about the subject.

I read Feyman graphic novel.

>>6475569

It's spelled Eiseinstein you fucking idiot.

>>6475782
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotthold_Eisenstein
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/EisensteinPrime.html

>>6475782
Yes, "Eisenstein" is spelled "Eisenstein".
What's your point? Why'd you call me a "fucking idiot"?

>>6475782
It's Eisenstein, not Eiseinstein. See this: >>6475789
You not only showed how retarded you are, you insulted me for being correct.

>>6475562
This, so much.
Forget Feynman. Sit the fuck down, pay attention and do your work. Quit it with that self-important BS

>>6475782
actually it's just spelled Einstein

>>6475882

>>6475563
>Eisenstein
the actor?

>>6475563
seeing how terrible his wikipedia page is I'm not that surprised

>first year students
>knowing ANYTHING about the subject they're studying

lol nah
Even in the later years you'll always still have some people who don't know basic shit.

worse
>mfw Nikola Tesla is considered one of the top ten physicists ever
>mfw people don't know who Murray Gell-Man and Feynman are

Also, how many of you do know John Bardeen without looking it up on Google?

>>6475901
convince me about Gell-Man and Bardeen

Feynman is the greatest since Einstein in my head.

>>6475563
> implying that would be of any importance for a first year student

>>6475563
He didn't do any outstanding things. Everything important thing he did has been done either before or better by someone else.
He is not such an important person. Also, i don't think mathematics is about persons.

Yes, it is strange if a mathematician doesn't know some persons while using their work quite often, but why should that be the case with Eisenstein and a first year mathematics student?

>>6475901
lel, my alma mater (though I was not in engineering)
http://illinois.edu/tours/CampusTour9144.html
Some know about it; Physics Nobel, twice.

Seriously, Bardeen --> Holonyak --> some really awesome Asian dude (one of Holonyak's last students) who invented blue laser or something.

One of Bardeen's relatives (Chris Bardeen) was a p-chem prof. when I was an undergrad and he taught quantum mech. (for chemistry majors in the chemistry department).

He was an excellent lecturer but didn't get tenure. At one point I was told that he couldn't bring in the grant money and that's why they didn't promote him to associate prof.

Several years later I was basically a secretary for Paul Lauterbur, and I found paperwork in his office regarding Chris Bardeen's tenure application. When I saw that C.B. was awarded a $500,000 grant and was still denied tenure I came to believe that 'departmental politics' were significant.

>>6475910
> Also, i don't think mathematics is about persons.

lel

I don't thinks it's particularly relevant or indicating to know about Feynman etc. when starting to study physics the the university.

Physics is about describing nature and not about worshipping historical persons. Get the fuck out, pop sci retard. Enjoy failing your physics classes when the exams won't contain a single question on Feynman's biography. You are not fit for university and I think it is scandalous that trash like you is allowed to occupy a place where a qualified and actually interested and motivated physics student should be sitting. You are holding back scientific progress. Please do society a favor and kill yourself.

>>6475964
Its about his work not his personal life you retard.

>>6476042
>Its about his work not his personal life you retard.
what?
>you retard.
please go back to /b/.

>be me
>first year physics student
>in my first physics lecture
>fedora'd gentleman enters the room and sits down next to me
>silently think "please don't talk to me you mouthbreather"
>he starts talking to me
>tells me how he thinks Feynman was the greatest physicist of all times
>goes on and on about how his hero Feynman was the smartest and the best and whatever
>I nod politely, avoid engaging in a conversation with him
>he smirks neckbeardishly as if he just asserted his intellectual superiority
>later that day
>exercises to the lecture
>simple high school calculus repetition
>find the velocities
>fedora guy has no idea what to do
>sits there half an hour struggling
>finally asks me for help
>tell him he has to take the derivative
>he doesn't get it
>dude, it's still written on the black board
>he still doesn't get it
>I let him copy my results, he won't learn from it anyway
>so glad he's not gonna survive first year

>>6476047
>It's not relevant to know and understand an important physicists work.
what?

> mfw people start learning maths at the age of 6 but they don't hear a single word about Cauchy until college.
> mfw I personally know people with Masters in mathematics who never heard about Hörmander.

>mfw I met a biology student who never heard of Richard Dawkins

>>6476056
mfw I know a CS graduate whoe doesnt know what python is

>Be back at home
>Talking to my parents about the difference between Macs and PC
>Start then talking about Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (this was just after Jobs had died)
>Make an Einstein/Tesla joke.
>"Who is Tesla?"

I don't have a shitty hard-on for Tesla (I do for based Faraday) though), but I know who he is, and the name should at least sound familiar.

>>6475547
mfw in first year and CS students don't know who Knuth, Turing, Shannon, Babbage, Richie or McCarthy are.

>be me
>23 years old in the last year of bachelor
>depressed
>visit /sci/
>dumb garbage about feynman
>only undergrads

>>6476049
untrue but we get what's your opinion on the subject.

you could have been more inventive

>>6476055
are you even serious...

autism/edgy*pedantry

>>6476087

This isn't exactly surprising. At least where I'm from, the majority of people who study CS are above average students without definite direction or actual interest in the sciences.

Basically, they chose CS because it was pushed onto them by advisers in high school who told them they could make a decent wage off of the degree and they were capable of doing the work.

>>6475587
Or, yak know. His contribution to "the bomb."

>>6476053
That's not what the thread is about. It's clearly about the claim that when you enter university in the first yeah, you should already know the names of some popular scientists like Feynman. It's not about his work, which no first grade student know in any detail.

>mfw people is first year of mathematics, physics, economics and computer science don't know who Von Neumann is,

>>6475891
Gauss thought he was a talented mathematician.

>>6476434
Why wouldn't first year students be familiar with (maybe not completely fluent in) basic concepts of QFT and the Standard Model? I was, and most of my friends were.

Hmm... the life and times now are so over-sexualized that anybody interested in physics should know Feyn-dog.

>>6475547

>>6476061
I'm glad my father at least mentioned Tesla to me while I was in elementary school.

Not a physics major though.

hey op. maybe the problem is found in your education system as a whole? how hollistic is it?

>>6475547
>mfw you're a science fan

>>6476605
this

>>6475547
Surely you're joking, OP.

Hide First Year Threads, Ignore First Year Posts, Do Not Reply To First Year Posters

also
>tfw have math bachelor and dont know how to prove by induction

>have a friend who studies phyics and maths to become a teacher
>one night, talk to him about the stars
>"I wonder if they ever find out what stars really are"
>lolwat
>he's serious
>tell him the sun is a star and most stars we see are either other "suns", or planets, or galaxies
>"nah man you must be confusing this with something else, nobody's found proof of a second sun yet"

I swear to science this happened.

>>6476614
But Pi is a number. Memorizing Pi makes you a fan of numbers (or at least that one number). It doesn't even make you a fan of mathematics never mind science.

>>6478565
>tfw have math bachelor and dont know how to prove by induction

>>6475547
You must be really fun at parties

>>6475563
Math student here, who?

>>6476614
What kind of person who gets STEM major hasn't memorized pi to 3.14159?

>>6478942
Gauss rated him bro. Get with the program.

OP bitches about ignorance.
Misspells "Feynman".

Stay classy, Sci Diego

>>6479164
I look up his name every time to make sure I don't misspell it.

>mfw first year mathematics students can't prove FLT

>>6476439
>>mfw people is first year of mathematics and physics don't know who Plato and other philosophers were,

>>6476614
>Using a web-comic to distinguish or have any effect on your life decisions.
Nope nope nope.

>>6479184
I can prove Fermat's little theorem

>>6476061
In all honesty, you should never assume anyone has even the most basic of knowledge. Only tangentially related, but I had to explain to my folks who Achilles is after the stupid Wheel of Fortune contestant that was so bad he made the news in America today. Also, there were a couple of people on /x/ earlier that couldn't fucking recognize a replica of the statue David, but that is on par with my perception of /x/ posters.

>>6479302
Are you saying that certain mediums created by real human beings cannot have valid arguments, simply because you don't like that sort of thing?

>>6480057
Take it back to reddit.

>>6479385
ditto. FLastT requires lots of number theory and algebraic geometry. elliptic curves and such. Fermat was a lying pretentious sack of shit

>>6475573
less people in physics means more money for me so I don't mind

>>6476061
what did tesla even do anyway? Wasn't he some kind of an engineer? I know coulomb and faraday did some pretty cool stuff but is there a tesla equation or a tesla experiment? Did he just measure magnetic fields?

>>6475560
Gradefag detected

>>6478967
To me it's 3.141 . But when we make calculation by mind we approximate it to 3 all the time

>>6480740
That's not even a proper truncation.

>fifth year physics and people don't know about Cartan