--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They didn't put two and two together…" description: "\"“They didn't put two and two together. They didn't even know what they knew. I don't know what's the matter with people, they don't learn by understand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/richard-p-feynman-495_knowledge_they-didn-t-put-two-and-two-together-the_3192881.png" --- # They didn't put two and two together. They didn't even… ![“They didn't put two and two together. They didn't even know what they knew. I don't know what's the matter with people, they don't learn by understanding; they learn by some other way—by rote, or something. Their knowledge is so fragile!” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/richard-p-feynman-495_knowledge_they-didn-t-put-two-and-two-together-the_3192881.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/richard-p-feynman-495_knowledge_they-didn-t-put-two-and-two-together-the_3192881.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/richard-p-feynman-495_knowledge_they-didn-t-put-two-and-two-together-the_3192881.png) > ““They didn't put two and two together. They didn't even know what they knew. I don't know what's the matter with people, they don't learn by understanding; they learn by some other way—by rote, or something. Their knowledge is so fragile!”” [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. People often retain facts without truly understanding them, making their knowledge unstable and easily forgotten. **In simple terms:** Knowledge without understanding is fragile. Key Takeaway Seek deep comprehension, not memorization. Themes learning understanding knowledge fragility Mood reflective critical inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - studying - teaching - skill acquisition - exam preparation Key Concepts cognitive psychology metacognition education Questions to Reflect On - How can you test if you truly understand a concept? - What habits help move from rote memorization to deep learning? A Different Perspective Understanding requires effort and curiosity, not just exposure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Know Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-matter-419722/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-fragile-970314/) [Learn Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-understanding-970315/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [People Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-don/) [Rote Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rote-knowledge-2469137/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know what's the matter with people: they don't learn by understanding, they learn by some other way — by rote or something.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-don-t-know-what-s-the-matter-with-people-they-don-t-learn-by-2/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“I don’t know what’s the matter with people: they don’t learn by understanding, they learn by some other way—by rote or something. Their knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-know-what-s-the-matter-with-people-they-don-t-learn-by/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Education is helping people understand something they don’t already understand. Or, more accurately, education is helping people (young or old) learn how to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/education-is-helping-people-understand-something-they-don-t-already/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [You can't know it all. No matter how smart you are, no matter how comprehensive your education, no matter how wide ranging your experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-can-t-know-it-all-no-matter-how-smart-you-are-no-matter-how/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Its not what you know that matters , its how to communicate what you know that matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/its-not-what-you-know-that-matters-its-how-to-communicate-what-you/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [There are so many things about which some old man ought to tell one while one is little; for when one is grown one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/there-are-so-many-things-about-which-some-old-man-ought-to-tell-one/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [No matter what we feel or know, no matter what our potential gifts or talents, only action brings them to life. Those of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/no-matter-what-we-feel-or-know-no-matter-what-our-potential-gifts-or/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [It’s good to be with someone when you know you matter. Not assume,” she qualified, “but know. To be with someone, who even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/it-s-good-to-be-with-someone-when-you-know-you-matter-not-assume-she/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [When you feel like putting something into your picture or do not know what is the matter with it, take something out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-dunn/when-you-feel-like-putting-something-into-your-picture-or-do-not-know/) [Harvey Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-dunn/) > [Be aware of yourself and know yourself. No matter how much you have learned and how much you know, if you don't know yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuki-shosan/be-aware-of-yourself-and-know-yourself-no-matter-how-much-you-have/) [Suzuki Shosan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuki-shosan/) > [You've given me value, Duncan. In my heart I know I matter to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/you-ve-given-me-value-duncan-in-my-heart-i-know-i-matter-to-you/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [People just want to know that they matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/people-just-want-to-know-that-they-matter/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Ultimately everyone, no matter who you are, we all at our core want to just know that we matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bowles/ultimately-everyone-no-matter-who-you-are-we-all-at-our-core-want-to/) [Lauren Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bowles/) > [“Know that you matter! Know that you don't need to suffer! Know Yourself! Know that you are loved beyond imagination!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crown/know-that-you-matter-know-that-you-don-t-need-to-suffer-know-yourself/) [Robert Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crown/) > [When everything said and done I need to know. Do we even matter to you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loreen/when-everything-said-and-done-i-need-to-know-do-we-even-matter-to-you/) [Loreen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loreen/) ## 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. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Today's brains are yesterday's mashed potatoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/today-s-brains-are-yesterday-s-mashed-potatoes/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is a language plus reasoning; it is like a language plus logic. Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-a-language-plus-reasoning-it-is-like-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [It is necessary for the very existence of science that minds exist which do not allow that nature must satisfy some preconceived conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-is-necessary-for-the-very-existence-of-science-that-minds-exist/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [All the time you're saying to yourself, 'I could do that, but I won't,'--which is just another way of saying that you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/all-the-time-you-re-saying-to-yourself-i-could-do-that-but-i-won-t/) [Richard P. 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. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I was a very shy character, always feeling uncomfortable because everybody was stronger than I, and always afraid I would look like a sissy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-was-a-very-shy-character-always-feeling-uncomfortable-because/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) [Explore all 515 Richard P. Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They didn't put two and two together. 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