Rishi wrote:After only two years of marriage, his wife Arline died of tuberculosis
in 1945. Feynman was stricken and turned, as some kind of compensation,
to the predatory pursuit of women – dating undergraduates, visiting
prostitutes, and sleeping with the young wives of several colleagues
while an academic at Cornell University.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/quantum-man-richard-feynman-review

Just because he wasgood in Physics?

Why this GOD like reverence towards him?

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:

Rishi wrote:After only two years of marriage, his wife Arline died of tuberculosis
in 1945. Feynman was stricken and turned, as some kind of compensation,
to the predatory pursuit of women – dating undergraduates, visiting
prostitutes, and sleeping with the young wives of several colleagues
while an academic at Cornell University.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/quantum-man-richard-feynman-review

Just because he wasgood in Physics?

Why this GOD like reverence towards him?

Two things. He is a white American, and they are EXPECTED to screw around regardless of what others think. And, he IS ALIVE.

Kumra was an Indian and EXPECTED not to screw at all...and he is dead.

Rishi wrote:

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:

Rishi wrote:After only two years of marriage, his wife Arline died of tuberculosis
in 1945. Feynman was stricken and turned, as some kind of compensation,
to the predatory pursuit of women – dating undergraduates, visiting
prostitutes, and sleeping with the young wives of several colleagues
while an academic at Cornell University.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/quantum-man-richard-feynman-review

Just because he wasgood in Physics?

Why this GOD like reverence towards him?

Two things. He is a white American, and they are EXPECTED to screw around regardless of what others think. And, he IS ALIVE.

Kumra was an Indian and EXPECTED not to screw at all...and he is dead.

Richard Feynman is dead.

Rishi wrote:After only two years of marriage, his wife Arline died of tuberculosis
in 1945. Feynman was stricken and turned, as some kind of compensation,
to the predatory pursuit of women – dating undergraduates, visiting
prostitutes, and sleeping with the young wives of several colleagues
while an academic at Cornell University.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/quantum-man-richard-feynman-review

Just because he was good in Physics?

Why this GOD like reverence towards him?

Rishi wrote:After only two years of marriage, his wife Arline died of tuberculosis
in 1945. Feynman was stricken and turned, as some kind of compensation,
to the predatory pursuit of women – dating undergraduates, visiting
prostitutes, and sleeping with the young wives of several colleagues
while an academic at Cornell University.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/quantum-man-richard-feynman-review

Just because he was good in Physics?

Why this GOD like reverence towards him?

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:in answer to your question -- good theoretical physicists always have a more than healthy ego. don't ask why, that's just how they are. in the most recent big bang theory episode, sheldon cooper while thanking a childhood television hero of his, prof proton, says to him, "you know in the environment i grew up in, your presence in my living room at 4 PM every day saved my life. it was responsible for my becoming a theoretical physicist. without it, i may have ended up as a hobo or a heart surgeon or something."

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:in answer to your question -- good theoretical physicists always have a more than healthy ego. don't ask why, that's just how they are. in the most recent big bang theory episode, sheldon cooper while thanking a childhood television hero of his, prof proton, says to him, "you know in the environment i grew up in, your presence in my living room at 4 PM every day saved my life. it was responsible for my becoming a theoretical physicist. without it, i may have ended up as a hobo or a heart surgeon or something."

did you mean sheldon glashov? hahaha @"i may have ended up as a hobo or a heart surgeon or something!"

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:"without it, i may have ended up as a hobo or a heart surgeon or something."

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:

i suspect that feynman is revered in the u.s. because he was american; americans exaggerate the value of his contributions to physics because of their nationalism. the first half of the twentieth century was a period of extraordinary advances in theoretical physics, and most of it was due to europeans. in order to not be seen as lagging, americans exaggerated the importance of the contributions of physicists like feynman.

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:

i suspect that feynman is revered in the u.s. because he was american; americans exaggerate the value of his contributions to physics because of their nationalism. the first half of the twentieth century was a period of extraordinary advances in theoretical physics, and most of it was due to europeans. in order to not be seen as lagging, americans exaggerated the importance of the contributions of physicists like feynman.

i only know physics as an engineer working in a field that uses a lot of physics. so while i don't feel qualified to make absolute judgments about their contributions as an insider i think the three physicists who won the nobel prize in the year it was awarded to feynman, the two others being julian schwinger and sin itiro tomanga, had an equal role in the QM developments after world war II. there is however one important name missing from that list, that of ennackal chandy george sudarshan. physicists i respect and know well as acquaintances and colleagues have said that in no uncertain terms. it is an absolute shame that the nobel foundation has ignored him.

and finally, my own initial acquaintance with the writings of feynman growing up was not through the popular books like "surely you must be joking", but through the three volume physics texts. they are absolute treasures especially the one on QM (volume 3).

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:

i suspect that feynman is revered in the u.s. because he was american; americans exaggerate the value of his contributions to physics because of their nationalism. the first half of the twentieth century was a period of extraordinary advances in theoretical physics, and most of it was due to europeans. in order to not be seen as lagging, americans exaggerated the importance of the contributions of physicists like feynman.

i only know physics as an engineer working in a field that uses a lot of physics. so while i don't feel qualified to make absolute judgments about their contributions as an insider i think the three physicists who won the nobel prize in the year it was awarded to feynman, the two others being julian schwinger and sin itiro tomanga, had an equal role in the QM developments after world war II. there is however one important name missing from that list, that of ennackal chandy george sudarshan. physicists i respect and know well as acquaintances and colleagues have said that in no uncertain terms. it is an absolute shame that the nobel foundation has ignored him.

and finally, my own initial acquaintance with the writings of feynman growing up was not through the popular books like "surely you must be joking", but through the three volume physics texts. they are absolute treasures especially the one on QM (volume 3).

i'm afraid i don't understand your post. in the paragraph you quoted, i was giving rishi my opinion about why feynman is revered in the u.s. i learnt physics in my undergrad days, from professors in a strong physics department, not from "surely you're joking, mr. feynman." i cited feynman's biographies for another reason: to express surprise at not having heard about his affinity for prostitutes.

Rishi wrote:

I remember Max asking something like "you want to know how many girls Feynman had boned?" It looked like Max was marvelling at this aspect of this scientist.

If an uneducated truck driver visits prostitutes and seduces his neighbors' wives in the slum in which he lives, he is being looked down. But when academic elites like Richard Feynman uses his fame and authority to exploit women, it is not only accepted but also celebrated.

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:i'm afraid i don't understand your post. in the paragraph you quoted, i was giving rishi my opinion about why feynman is revered in the u.s. i learnt physics in my undergrad days, from professors in a strong physics department, not from "surely you're joking, mr. feynman." i cited feynman's biographies for another reason: to express surprise at not having heard about his affinity for prostitutes.

Rishi wrote:
I remember Max asking something like "you want to know how many girls Feynman had boned?" It looked like Max was marvelling at this aspect of this scientist.