If you read his autobiographical essays, you'll notice Richard Feynman often took the position of 'the "dumb guy" in a room of "smart folks".' and that seemed to help his approach.
I would imagine being willing to "be dumb" separates the "really smart" from the "merely smart". The one who come up with the most amazing things tend to question assumption in the fashion of the "dumb" people who haven't been fully initiated into a field.
I would imagine being willing to "be dumb" separates the "really smart" from the "merely smart". The one who come up with the most amazing things tend to question assumption in the fashion of the "dumb" people who haven't been fully initiated into a field.