Excellent points and Feynman was new to me so an exploration as well.

Are we not confusing understanding and being able to explain to (without being patronising) a low common denominator? Having listened to Prof Jean Bartunek givign the Richard Normann lecture this year, the sense is this is a little more involved than this cut and dried piece.

The 12 year old has an innate intelligence possibly not hammered out by education. This may not be enough to understand the laws of thermodynamics to the point of applying them to social systems (to draw how intuitive learning is now being applied across fields).

Yes, subject is a book and second quote, Schopenhauer, highlights now how we are all taking in information, with various interpretations of data, from multiple sources. Having the open mind to question our own understanding returns us to the third point given it is not only about understanding but being able to interrogate any information.

Is it Confucian - The path to true knowledge is to first admit you do not know?

A great dialogue, not discussion but dialogue, starter thank you Eva