Story
My colleague told me about her time as a PhD student. This is about her professor. The students were often asked “why” regarding their research by this professor. Although the questions were usually very simple, it was difficult for the students to answer them adequately. Even though the professor was calm and kind, some students ended up crying. I guess that this was because these were the core questions of their research, probing whether they truly understood their work. understanding something means that the one is able to explain it. By repeatedly asking why, you might end up with very mathematical or fundamental issues, which are hard to understand. Occasionally, we know things rather than truly understand them.
This story intrigued me, so I asked her the professor’s name. To my surprise, I recognized his name. He was the author of a book I bought over ten years ago. Although the book has a pop-art cover suggesting it is for beginners, it is not only easy to understand but also well-organized. It turned out to be a curious coincidence.
