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What Problems to Solve (1966)

(genius.cat-v.org)
460 points jxmorris12 | 1 comments | 25 Jun 25 17:08 UTC | HN request time: 0.2s | source
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amelius ◴[26 Jun 25 09:33 UTC] No.44385687[source]▶
> I have worked on innumerable problems that you would call humble, but which I enjoyed and felt very good about because I sometimes could partially succeed. For example, ... [list of many problems] ... Plus all the “grander” problems of quantum theory.

I'm having difficulty understanding what is meant here. Does he intend to say that his student thinks quantum theory is a humble problem?

replies(2): >>44386521 #>>44387510 #
1. frumiousirc ◴[26 Jun 25 11:54 UTC] No.44386521[source]▶
I don't know what the student thinks but "[list of many problems]" are in some ways less "grand" as they are less about fundamentals of nature compared to the problems in quantum theory. But then Feynman puts "grander" in quotes to reduce its power and imply that "grandness" isn't all that - well - grand. He does this as his advice is that all problems for which you can find solutions are indeed grand problems. That's how I read it.