This Popular Idea is Hurting Science

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You’ve heard the phrase: “If you can’t explain it to a 5-year-old, you don’t understand it.” But what if that idea is not only false but harmful? In this video, we dismantle one of the most repeated myths in science communication, explore why some truths resist simplification, and reveal what real understanding actually looks like. If you care about learning deeply, or teaching well, this is a must-watch.

Other Curt Videos:
- The Most Abused Theorem in Math (Gödel's Incompleteness)
- Debunking the “All Possible Paths” Myth: What Feynman Really Showed

Correction:
- Whoops. It was a 3,000-word essay, not 5,000. The point still stands, though, fortunately.

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Links Mentioned:
•⁠ ⁠Algebraic Topology (book):
•⁠ ⁠Topology and Geometry (book):
•⁠ ⁠Language isn’t just “low resolution communication” (Substack):
•⁠ ⁠Non-analytic smooth function:
•⁠ ⁠Emily Riehl on TOE:
•⁠ ⁠Neil deGrasse Tyson on TOE:
•⁠ ⁠Curt debunking the “all possible paths” myth:
•⁠ ⁠What does it mean to explore the “ill-defined”? (Substack):

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