Um. I’m having one of those I-can’t-believe-I’ve-been-this-stupid-over-the-last-ten-years moments.
I went back and reread what you wrote and the part I missed before was this:
The wave described is light.
So it isn’t that light “happens to follow” this wave equation. That wave equation IS light—that is, that specific interaction between the electric and magnetic fields is light.
Honestly, I’d never thought of it that way before. I can go back to that chapter in electromagnetism and see if I understand things differently now.
I look at the light bulb on my desk and I wouldn’t even call it ‘light’ anymore. It is electromagnetic interaction.
I photographically recall the poster over an exhibit at a science museum, “Light Is Electromagnetic Radiation’. I thought that meant that light was radiation (obviously, it radiates) that was associated in some way with electromagnetic theory and I remember thinking it was a decidedly unpleasant verbal construction.
You know, this really calls for a cartoon-y cliche “light bulb turning on” appearing over byrnema’s head.
It’s interesting the little connections that are so hard to make but seem simple in retrospect. I give it a day or so before you start having trouble remembering what it was like to not see that idea, and a week or so until it seems like the most obvious, natural concept in the world (which you’ll be unable to explain clearly to anyone who doesn’t get it, of course).
(which you’ll be unable to explain clearly to anyone who doesn’t get it, of course)
Seriously. Apparently, I wrote the key insight she needed (not knowing that it was the missing insight), but she didn’t click on it the first time, and then, as I am asking questions to try to narrow down what the confusion is, something I said, as a side effect, prompted her to read that insight again and she got it. Now, how can one systematically replicate a win like that?
Um. I’m having one of those I-can’t-believe-I’ve-been-this-stupid-over-the-last-ten-years moments.
I went back and reread what you wrote and the part I missed before was this:
So it isn’t that light “happens to follow” this wave equation. That wave equation IS light—that is, that specific interaction between the electric and magnetic fields is light.
Honestly, I’d never thought of it that way before. I can go back to that chapter in electromagnetism and see if I understand things differently now.
I look at the light bulb on my desk and I wouldn’t even call it ‘light’ anymore. It is electromagnetic interaction.
I photographically recall the poster over an exhibit at a science museum, “Light Is Electromagnetic Radiation’. I thought that meant that light was radiation (obviously, it radiates) that was associated in some way with electromagnetic theory and I remember thinking it was a decidedly unpleasant verbal construction.
I’m thankful, and sorry...
You know, this really calls for a cartoon-y cliche “light bulb turning on” appearing over byrnema’s head.
It’s interesting the little connections that are so hard to make but seem simple in retrospect. I give it a day or so before you start having trouble remembering what it was like to not see that idea, and a week or so until it seems like the most obvious, natural concept in the world (which you’ll be unable to explain clearly to anyone who doesn’t get it, of course).
Seriously. Apparently, I wrote the key insight she needed (not knowing that it was the missing insight), but she didn’t click on it the first time, and then, as I am asking questions to try to narrow down what the confusion is, something I said, as a side effect, prompted her to read that insight again and she got it. Now, how can one systematically replicate a win like that?
Be polite and patient when people are confused?
Well, that is important. But that is more part of not automatically failing, than actually making progress towards dispelling the confusion.
Lacking understanding, that’s the best advice I can give.