Charlie Munger Shared Max Planck Chauffeur Story on Knowledge Types

Former Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chair Charlie Munger once recounted an anecdote about physicist Max Planck and his chauffeur to illustrate different levels of knowledge. According to Munger, the chauffeur memorized Planck's lecture on quantum mechanics and requested to deliver it himself during one event.

When an audience member posed a complex question afterward, the chauffeur replied that he was surprised to receive such an elementary question in an advanced city like Munich.

Munger stated that the world contains two kinds of knowledge. One type involves deep understanding of a subject, while the other consists of knowing enough to repeat information without full comprehension. Munger used the story to highlight the difference between genuine expertise and the ability to recite prepared material.