Richard Feynman was a brilliant thinker. But his brilliance is understated and reinforced by his willingness to ask novel questions that lack pretension.

Watch the following clip from a conversation Feynman had with a physicist friend in the 70s.

About 71/2 minutes in Feynman asks the most important physics question I have ever come upon. "What today do we not consider part of physics?" He goes on to point out the historical notion implicit in other sciences, geology, biology, etc. There is an evolutionary question. A historical cause and effect that can and should be studied, a "historical question". Physics doesn't contain this historical question. The laws of physics are always given as a timeless condition. The fact that Feynman was willing to break out of the traditional dogmatism of physics and even ask this question demonstrates just how brilliant and creative of a thinker he was. And while the "historical question" vis-a-vis the physical laws may not hold many immediate answers, it seems to be be a very important question to at least consider. Basically accept that the laws of the universe might have a historical dimension to them, to which we might not have access because of our place within history. The rules at the big bang might be different than the rules today. Rules and forces themselves might evolve and change and give birth to new rules and conditions. An intriguing and original thought!