The Feynman Problem Solving Algorithm

[pne]

Something I hadn't come across before, but it's impressive in its simplicity:

1. write down the problem;
2. think very hard;
3. write down the answer.

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

I like it.

[sovereigna.livejournal.com]

Simple!
(I might have to steal that one :P)

[robnorth.livejournal.com]

Erdős would have amended it as follows:

1. write down the problem;
   
2. think very hard;
   
3. if 2 starts becoming difficult, add coffee and repeat pro re nata;
   
4. write down the answer.

Just for clarity's sake.

ObCoffee: One of our superiors just did a Starbuck's run for everyone. I (being a good Mormon boy, at least on some days) requested a large hot chocolate. I just finished inhaling what he retrieved, and the aftertaste leads me to think that he got confuzzled and that it was actually a coffee with much chocolate flavouring included. I may be a little hyper for the rest of the day, since that would be my first major intake of caffeine since about 1980....

[fridoline.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I read somewhere a while ago, the suggestion to try to "remember" the answer. This is based on the assumption that the answer is somewhere out there in the universe and our infinite soul will know it. Also, if you are already sure that there IS an answer, you will more likely be able to find/remember it. It should not seem so hopeless.

Er, anybody get a clue what I'm trying to say?

Please correct me, if I got that wrong or mixed up, but I think that's what I read a while ago.