In a short interview clip, physicist Murray Gell-Mann talks about working alongside Richard Feynman at Caltech. He describes how the two men clashed in personality and image despite similar brilliance.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN commenters cite it for Gell-Mann's candid and not always flattering view of Feynman's showmanship and character.
“Here is what Murray Gell-Mann has to say about this side of Feynman's personality”HN comment, 2013
“Here is what Murray Gell-Mann has to say about this side of Feynman's personality”
Gell-Mann on Feynman's showmanship and personality
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Feynman was a bit of a hipster. I am a fan of his, being a theoretical physicist by training and having read more than one book by him and about him, but to tell the truth nobody is perfect and Feynman's showmanship was at times considered cheap and annoying by some of his friends and collaborators. Here is what Murray Gell-Mann has to say about this side of Feynman's personality: this video
Cites itstiffJan 2014
Gell-Mann's homage to Feynman, compared with others
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None of those quotes are derogatory toward Feynman, and I don't see how Wolfram being pleased by Feynman liking his idea says anything about Wolframs ego. In fact, this was very modest for Wolfram standards, and a much more interesting and cultured homage to a friend, than the ones by Susskind or Gell-Mann: linkthis video I must say I in general don't understand the hate a lot of people have for Wolfram, he clearly is a bit narcissistic, but what he writes and says is always otherwise genuinely interesting, even if not as earth shattering as he would like. Certainly his work is not cargo cult science, he did genuinely advance the research in cellular automata, and he even did some lasting minor contribution to physics in his early days: link
Cites itshadowfoxJan 2014
“Many people didn't really like him (in spite of acknowledging his ability).”
Gell-Mann's unflattering view of Feynman
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> Seems not everyone was a fan of Mr. Feynman Oh. Many people didn't really like him (in spite of acknowledging his ability). For example, Murray Gell-Mann - this video
Cites itOldGuyInTheClubFeb 2020
“Several clips from Gell-Mann's Web of Stories interview (late 1990s) pertain to his on-again off-again collaboration with Feynman.”
Gell-Mann interview clips on collaborating with Feynman
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From Murray Gell-Mann: this video Several clips from Gell-Mann's Web of Stories interview (late 1990s) pertain to his on-again off-again collaboration with Feynman. link
Cites itdralleyFeb 2022
“according to Murray Gell-Mann, Feynman might have gone a bit too far in that regard”
Gell-Mann suggests Feynman took skepticism too far
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>Being humble in the search for truth can sometimes even seem arrogant socially. It means that you'll regularly question not only your own beliefs but those of other people as well. Although according to Murray Gell-Mann, Feynman might have gone a bit too far in that regard this video
