To Learn Facts or Not

Regarding the Youth Opinion by Matthew Burns (“Learning Facts Is a Waste,” March 16), sometimes not knowing the names of things is what is a waste--a waste of time in critical situations. Facts are not just things that clutter your brain. They are an integral part of communication. Say you’re on the operating table in the fight for your life and the doctor says: “thingamajig” to the nurse instead of “scalpel.” Then she or he says: “Which thingamajig, doctor?” And he or she replies: “You know perfectly well which thingamajig--the on we always use when we’re removing the thingamabob!” Well, Matthew, it’s going to be a very long day for the doctors and nurses at that hospital and a very short one for you. Time was critical to saving you in the operation but alas, nobody knew the name of anything, so it took too much time and they lost you.

You refer to Richard Feynman’s quote that “[names of things] could be looked up in 15 minutes.” But you don’t want to be the one in a social or work situation who says, “Oh, I don’t know anything, but I can go look it up.” By the time you get back, dude, the party’s over.

JUNE SHELNUTT

Los Angeles