Gates points to Feynman's lecture series "The Character of Physical Law, a great example of how he could explain things in a fun and interesting way to everyone. And he was very funny."
That sense of humor complemented a sense of rigor: "Dr. Feynman used a tough process on himself, where if he didn't really understand something, he would push himself," asking questions like "Do I understand this boundary case?" and "Do I understand why we don't do it this other way?" Such an effort to find the gaps in and failures of one's own understanding may sound familiar, fundamental as it is to Feynman's "notebook" technique of learning.
You only know how well you understand something when you explain it to someone else; many of us realize this, but Feynman lived it. The depth of his own understanding allowed him never to be boring: "Feynman made science so fascinating," Gates says, "He reminded us how much fun it is," and in so doing emphasized that "everybody can have a pretty full understanding. He's such a joyful example of how we'd all like to learn and think about things." Though the term "science communicator" wasn't in wide use during Feynman's lifetime, he played the role to near-perfection.
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