--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just as a poet often has license from the…" description: "\"Just as a poet often has license from the rules of grammar and pronunciation, we should like to ask for 'physicists' license from the rules of mathemat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/richard-p-feynman-495_asks_just-as-a-poet-often-has-license-from-th_1968138.jpg" --- # Just as a poet often has license from the rules of grammar… ![“Just as a poet often has license from the rules of grammar and pronunciation, we should like to ask for 'physicists' license from the rules of mathematics in order to express what we wish to say in as simple a manner as possible.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/richard-p-feynman-495_asks_just-as-a-poet-often-has-license-from-th_1968138.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/richard-p-feynman-495_asks_just-as-a-poet-often-has-license-from-th_1968138.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c3/richard-p-feynman-495_asks_just-as-a-poet-often-has-license-from-th_1968138.jpg) > “Just as a poet often has license from the rules of grammar and pronunciation, we should like to ask for 'physicists' license from the rules of mathematics in order to express what we wish to say in as simple a manner as possible.” [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests mathematicians should adopt poetic freedom to simplify complex ideas for clearer communication **In simple terms:** Use creative freedom to simplify math explanations Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility in mathematical expression Themes creativity communication science education Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - Teaching complex concepts - writing scientific papers - public outreach Key Concepts Metaphor interdisciplinary thinking conceptual clarity Questions to Reflect On - When does simplification become distortion? - How can poetic license aid scientific understanding? A Different Perspective Risk of oversimplification may mislead audiences ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Grammar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grammar/) [License](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/license/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicist/) [Physicists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicists/) [Physicists License](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicists-license-3289033/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poet License](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet-license-3030516/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Pronunciation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pronunciation/) [Rules Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-mathematics-735813/) [Say Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-simple-562782/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [The Poet's License! 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This sublimation was total and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bourgeois/i-found-in-rules-of-mathematics-a-peace-and-a-trust-that-i-could-not/) [Louise Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bourgeois/) > [There are theoretical physicists who imagine, deduce, and guess at new laws, but do not experiment; and then there are experimental physicists who experiment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-are-theoretical-physicists-who-imagine-deduce-and-guess-at-new/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [For those who want some proof that physicists are human, the proof is in the idiocy of all the different units which they use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/for-those-who-want-some-proof-that-physicists-are-human-the-proof-is/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Physicists like to think that all you have to do is say, these are the conditions, now what happens next?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/physicists-like-to-think-that-all-you-have-to-do-is-say-these-are-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I Want To See You In Ten Years Just To Say Five Simple Words To You… I Did It Without You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anahy-rodriguez/i-want-to-see-you-in-ten-years-just-to-say-five-simple-words-to-you-i/) [Anahy Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anahy-rodriguez/) > [The easiest thing I can say is simple, but paradoxical in this era of total sampling: Be original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-spooky/the-easiest-thing-i-can-say-is-simple-but-paradoxical-in-this-era-of/) [DJ Spooky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-spooky/) > [And to Mindy, I can only ever say a simple thank you. And dedicate the rest of my life to her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hammond/and-to-mindy-i-can-only-ever-say-a-simple-thank-you-and-dedicate-the/) [Richard Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hammond/) > [“Do that thing you do where you use too many words to say something simple and confuse the issue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/do-that-thing-you-do-where-you-use-too-many-words-to-say-something/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Parla Come Mangi' --It is a common way to say 'be simple', 'don't try to be rhetorical' literaly: 'speak the way you eat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/parla-come-mangi-it-is-a-common-way-to-say-be-simple-don-t-try-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [How can I tell you that my feelings for you are true, if I can't even say a simple Hello to you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-can-i-tell-you-that-my-feelings-for-you-are-true-if-i-can-t-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“as Jim Rohn would say, “What’s simple to do is also simple not to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/as-jim-rohn-would-say-what-s-simple-to-do-is-also-simple-not-to-do/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [People who know me know that I'm not going to open my mouth and say something if I don't mean it. I'm very short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/people-who-know-me-know-that-i-m-not-going-to-open-my-mouth-and-say/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) ## More by Richard P. Feynman > [“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-of-the-fundamental-requisites/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/) [Richard P. 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Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There's a big difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-s-a-big-difference-between-knowing-the-name-of-something-and/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/) [Richard P. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. 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