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Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Exploring theoretical physics, consciousness, Ai, and God in a technically rigorous manner. If you'd like to support this endeavor, then please visit the Patreon ( https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal ). Thank you for your charitable and kindhearted support. My name's Curt Jaimungal, a Torontonian with a degree in mathematical physics from the University of Toronto and I analyze various Theories of Everything from this analytic perspective, though more and more opening up to alternative approaches. The separating factor of TOE from other podcasts is its focus on depth even at the risk of limiting the audience due to how much detail we delve into subjects. Paralleling the intensity found in academic discourse, we're increasingly embracing a spectrum of unconventional ideas to conduct research during this podcast, rather than merely conveying existing information. Contact toe [at] indiefilmTO [dot] com for business inquiries / sponsorship.

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Episodes

Time Travel in Physics: ?We Still Don't Know?

SPONSORS: - Sign up for Claude today at http://Claude.ai/theoriesofeverything and checkout Claude Pro ? which includes access to all of the features mentioned in today's episode. - Let AI do the note-taking. Visit https://plaud.ai/toe and use code TOE for 10% off at checkout. - Go to https://shortform.com/toe for a free trial and an exclusive $50 OFF on your annual subscription. - Accelerate your efficiency. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at http://shopify.com/theories. - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 35% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe What if you gathered every possible piece of evidence about the universe ? every observation, past, present, and future ? and it still wasn't enough? That's not a philosophical parlor trick. It's a theorem. J.B. Manchak proves it using the very tools of general relativity, and then connects it to Zen Buddhism's teaching on the self. This one is a quiet storm. TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - Unknowability of the Universe - 00:05:14 - Space-Time Maximality Metaphysics - 00:11:02 - Time Travel in GR - 00:16:53 - Causal Structure and Topology - 00:24:01 - Cauchy Surfaces and Determinism - 00:32:13 - Solving the Halting Problem - 00:47:38 - Cosmic Censorship Hypothesis - 00:56:58 - The God Point Theorem - 01:02:16 - Global Structure Underdetermination - 01:11:21 - Heraclitus Space-Times Defined - 01:24:22 - Hierarchy of Classical Space-Times - 01:33:08 - The Universe Puzzle Analogy - 01:40:51 - Underdetermination of the Self - 01:51:39 - Zen Buddhism and Non-Self - 02:00:57 - Repeatability and Heraclitus - 02:06:41 - The Power of Slow Thinking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-03-16
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Curt Jaimungal: General Relativity Is NOT Deterministic (Here's the Proof)

Many people think physics / reality is either guided by a probabilistic distribution or is ?determined.? Actually, there?s a third, far?more unsettling option. Curt Jaimungal explains why Einstein?s general relativity isn't actually deterministic. He discusses how Cauchy horizons and closed time-like curves break predictability, showing that math and physics don't always guarantee a set future for our universe. This is a solo deep?dive. One that he's been meaning to make for a while. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe FOLLOW: - Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs - Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 LINKS MENTIONED: - This Cosmologist Discovered Something Strange: https://youtu.be/73IdQGgfxas - The Most Abused Theorem in Math (Gödel's Incompleteness): https://youtu.be/OH-ybecvuEo - Harvard Scientist: "There Is No Quantum Multiverse" | Jacob Barandes [Part 3]: https://youtu.be/wrUvtqr4wOs - The Quantum Mechanics of Time Travel: https://youtu.be/yCQ_3qE6SmQ - The Dangerous Lie About Understanding: https://youtu.be/eASBzSNB8ts - Discovery That Changed Physics! Gravity Is Not a Force!: https://youtu.be/3pZNzF6LBII - Einstein's Amazing Theory of Gravity: Black Holes and Novel Ideas in Cosmology, Roger Penrose | LMS: https://youtu.be/xAcvNnSrkcM - The Geodesic Equation: Introduction and Derivation: https://youtu.be/5_79m-kHxts - Interpretation of the Wavefunction: https://youtu.be/R-5hjmV-bdY - Is the Future Already Set in Stone?: https://youtu.be/JBkB2D-_ZH0 - What Is Astrophysics Actually Explained: https://youtu.be/TCrRs_OBN0E - What Triggered the Big Bang? | How the Universe Works: https://youtu.be/gup4Cc0Ube0 - Visualization of the Gödel Universe: https://youtu.be/078jOiaevAQ - Iceberg of String Theory: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - The 300-Year-Old Physics Mistake No One Noticed: https://youtu.be/Tghl6aS5A3M - JB Manchak: Spacetime Asymmetry: https://youtu.be/lFbfhISreFY - Carlo Rovelli [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY - General Relativity Is Not (Technically) Deterministic: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/general-relativity-is-not-deterministic - The Strong Cosmic Censorship Conjecture by Maxime Van de Moortel [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2501.13180 - Some Black Holes Erase Your Past: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180221091334.htm - Determinism and General Relativity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2009.07555 - A Family of Local Deterministic Models for Singlet Quantum State Correlations [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/html/2408.09579v1 - Examples of Cosmological Spacetimes Without CMC Cauchy Surfaces: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11005-024-01843-7 - Asymptotic Dynamics on the Worldlines for Spinning Particles [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2009.07863 - World Line: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_line - Counterexamples in Topology [Book]: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4612-6290-9 - Quantum Charged Black Holes [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.07192 - Charged Hayward Black Hole with a Cosmological Constant and Surrounded by Quintessence and a Cloud of Strings [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2511.02191 - Strong Cosmic Censorship in Charged Black-Hole Spacetimes: Still Subtle [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1808.03631 - Chaos and Deterministic Versus Stochastic Non-Linear Modelling: https://academic.oup.com/jrsssb/article/54/2/303/7035838 - Reopening the Hole Argument by Klaas Landsman [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2206.04943 - Is Time Travel Too Strange to Be Possible? [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1704.02295 - Counterexamples in Topology [Book]: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4612-6290-9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-03-12
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John Donoghue: The Physicist Who Says We've Already Quantized Gravity

Professor John Donoghue explains why quantum physics and gravity actually work perfectly together. He tackles quadratic gravity, effective field theory, and random dynamics, arguing that grand unification and naturalness aren't required for a theory of everything. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - Limits of Quantum Mechanics - 00:06:35 - Effective Field Theory - 00:12:24 - Gravity: Geometry or Force? - 00:18:46 - QFT and Gravity Tension - 00:24:59 - Quadratic Gravity Theory - 00:34:16 - Dueling Arrows of Causality - 00:41:57 - Random Dynamics and Anti-Unification - 00:48:13 - The Naturalness Problem - 00:53:40 - Questioning Hidden Assumptions LINKS MENTIONED: - John's lectures: https://www.youtube.com/@johndonoghue469/featured - John's papers: https://arxiv.org/a/donoghue_j_1.html - The Renormalization Group and Critical Phenomena [Paper]: https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/wilson-lecture-2.pdf - Anthropic Considerations in Multiple-Domain Theories [Paper]: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.1822 - Old "Ghost" Theory of Quantum Gravity Makes a Comeback [Article]: https://www.quantamagazine.org/old-ghost-theory-of-quantum-gravity-makes-a-comeback-20251117/ - Unitarity, Stability and Loops of Unstable Ghosts [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.02416 - An Effective Field Theory of Gravity for Extended Objects [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0409156 - Not Quite a Black Hole [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1612.04889 - On Quadratic Gravity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2112.01974 - Quadratic Gravity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1804.09944 - Renormalization of Higher Derivative Quantum Gravity [Paper]: http://www.weylmann.com/stelle.pdf - Quantum Theory in a Nutshell [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Field-Theory-Nutshell-nutshell/dp/0691140340 - Field Theory: A Modern Primer [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Field-Theory-Modern-Frontiers-Physics/dp/0201546116 - Origin of Symmetries [Book]: https://amzn.to/4qxnLzj - String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20 - Avshalom Elitzur [TOE]: https://youtu.be/pWRAaimQT1E - Sir Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk - Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok - Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/NKOd8imBa2s - Peter Woit [TOE]: https://youtu.be/TTSeqsCgxj8 - Joseph Conlon & Peter Woit [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fAaXk_WoQqQ - Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-03-11
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This Physicist Has A "Relativistic Theory of Consciousness"

SPONSORS: - Let AI do the note-taking. Visit https://plaud.ai/toe and use code TOE for 10% off at checkout. - Go to https://expressvpn.com/theoriesofeverythingyt to find out how you can get up to 4 extra months thanks to our sponsor, ExpressVPN - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 35% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Physicist Nir Lahav joins me to argue that the hard problem isn't hard so much as confused?a consequence of treating consciousness as an absolute property rather than a relative one. Drawing on the principle of relativity, he proposes that subjective experience is a genuine physical property that manifests only from within a cognitive system's own internal simulation, where the felt sense of good and bad becomes as real as location in space. This conversation requires zero prior background in physics or philosophy. Every concept is built from scratch. SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e LINKS MENTIONED: - Nir's Website: https://www.lahavnir.com/about-me - Nir's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LFMD5RkAAAAJ - Nir's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nir.Lahav - Nir's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewonderofscience9863/videos - A Relativistic Theory of Consciousness [Paper]: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704270/full - Church-Turing Thesis: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/church-turing/ - What Is It Like to Be a Bat? [Paper]: https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Nagel_Bat.pdf - On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies [TOE]: https://users.physics.ox.ac.uk/~rtaylor/teaching/specrel.pdf - Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/037575766X?tag=toe08-20 - Discourse on Metaphysics [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/1474457789?tag=toe08-20 - The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/cosmology_2025/pdf/Einstein_Extension_Relativity_1916.pdf - Some Functional Effects of Sectioning the Cerebral Commissures in Man [Paper]: https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.48.10.1765 - Reasoning or Reciting? [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.02477 - The Conscious Mind [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0195117891?tag=toe08-20 - Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk - Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s - Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2v7LBABwZKA - Daniel Dennett [TOE]: https://youtu.be/bH553zzjQlI - Bernardo Kastrup [TOE]: https://youtu.be/lAB21FAXCDE - Joscha Bach [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3MNBxfrmfmI - Matt Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM - Leo Gura [TOE]: https://youtu.be/YspFR9JAq3w - What Is Energy, Actually? [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hQk9GLZ0Fms - Plato's Cave [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PurNlwnxwfY - Iain McGilchrist [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Q9sBKCd2HD0 - Andres Emilsson: https://youtu.be/BBP8WZpYp0Y - Ruth Kastner [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-BsHh3_vCMQ - Urs Schreiber [TOE]: https://youtu.be/1KUhLHlgG2Q - Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4 - Emily Adlam and Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/rw1ewLJUgOg - David Chalmers [TOE]: https://youtu.be/RH5qjdHhtBk - Donald Hoffman and Philip Goff [TOE]: https://youtu.be/MmaIBxkqcT4 - Donald Hoffman [TOE]: https://youtu.be/CmieNQH7Q4w - Michael Levin and Anil Seth [TOE]: https://youtu.be/_kuwwmFnxGY - Elan Barenholtz [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY - Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-03-05
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Neil deGrasse Tyson Doesn?t Understand What ?Belief? Means | Curt Jaimungal

Curt Jaimungal argues that astrophysicists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and spiritual gurus Deepak?Chopra and Thomas?Campbell can?t logically claim they don?t hold beliefs. This ?Theories of Everything? with Curt Jaimungal episode uses analytic philosophy to show why belief?s vital for understanding physics and consciousness, countering what Thomas Campbell and NASA scientist Nathalie Cabrol say. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00 - The "No Belief" Fallacy - 03:00 - Faith vs. Propositional Belief - 04:57 - Implicit Belief in Hypotheses - 07:10 - van Fraassen?s Constructive Empiricism - 11:51 - Fallibilism and Epistemic Virtue SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e LINKS MENTIONED: - Neil deGrasse Tyson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/HhWWlJFwTqs - Kierkegaard: The Most Terrifying Philosopher I've Encountered [TOE]: https://youtu.be/BWYxRM__TBU - Curt Interviews NASA Scientist on NPR: https://youtu.be/C8zrfZq1XEs - Bayesian Epistemology: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemology-bayesian/ - Belief: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/belief/ - The Norm Of Assertion: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29684696/ - Truth And Objectivity [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0674910877?tag=toe08-20 - Constructive Empiricism Now [Paper]: https://www.princeton.edu/~fraassen/articles/pdfs/CE_Now.pdf - Willard Quine: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/quine/ SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-03-02
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David Bessis: What is Math? How Do You Learn It?

What is mathematics, really? Mathematician David Bessis joins me to argue that math isn't about numbers in a Platonic realm or a meaningless game of symbols?it's a cognitive technology for rewiring your brain. We explore why the official definitions of mathematics have been unresolved for 2,300 years, why understanding something means finding it obvious, and how the gap between a beginner and Terence Tao looks less like genetic destiny and more like compound interest on intuition. When asked what mathematics fundamentally is, his answer cuts through millennia of philosophy: it's what happens in your head when you pretend something is true until it feels real. LINKS MENTIONED: Papers, books, websites: - https://davidbessis.substack.com/ - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YmJL9KwAAAAJ - https://amazon.com/dp/0300283288?tag=toe08-20 - https://davidbessis.substack.com/p/the-magic-of-mathematical-intuition - https://davidbessis.substack.com/p/weve-been-wrong-about-math-for-2300 - https://arxiv.org/abs/math/9404236 - https://amazon.com/dp/0387900926?tag=toe08-20 - https://davidbessis.substack.com/p/the-curious-case-of-broken-theorems - https://mathworld.wolfram.com/FermatsLastTheorem.html - https://xenaproject.wordpress.com/2024/12/11/fermats-last-theorem-how-its-going/ - https://gwern.net/doc/math/1979-hersh.pdf - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_universals - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/set-theory/zf.html - https://imperialcollegelondon.github.io/FLT/blueprint/ - https://amazon.com/dp/1015393233?tag=toe08-20 - https://annals.math.princeton.edu/2015/181-3/p01 - https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0610778 - https://pi.math.cornell.edu/~bts82/events/homotopyF20/notes/bar-construction-typed.pdf - https://www.edge.org/conversation/reuben_hersh-reuben-hersh-1927-2020 - https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Ramanujan/ - https://amazon.com/dp/1107536510?tag=toe08-20 - https://viennot.org/abjc-lectures.html - https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/272332/1-s2.0-S0021869306X06555/1-s2.0-S0021869305006150/main.pdf Videos: - https://youtu.be/tYgiVnQubyw - https://youtu.be/RX1tZv_Nv4Y - https://youtu.be/73IdQGgfxas - https://youtu.be/lhpRAWxvY5s - https://youtu.be/rJz_Badd43c - https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s - https://youtu.be/81sPQGIWEfM - https://youtu.be/wbP0KjWm0pw - https://youtu.be/mTwvecBthpQ - https://youtu.be/_sTDSO74D8Q - https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-02-23
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Erik Verlinde: This Physicist (Unexpectedly) Derived Gravity from Information

What if gravity is just entropy in disguise? Professor Erik Verlinde joins me to argue that gravity isn't a fundamental force?it's thermodynamic, emerging from quantum information the way gas pressure emerges from molecules bouncing around. We explore why spacetime may be stitched together by entanglement, and how dark energy and dark matter both pop out automatically without extra particles or parameters. Verlinde explains why the cosmological constant problem is a red herring, and why there may be no final theory of physics. When asked where the universe comes from, his answer is one word: chaos. SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - Thermodynamic Gravity and Information - 00:06:35 - Beyond Effective Field Theory - 00:13:08 - Turtles All The Way Down - 00:25:41 - Entropy as a Force - 00:36:31 - Entanglement and Spatial Connectivity - 00:47:31 - Deriving Inertia and F=ma - 00:56:41 - De Sitter Space Challenges - 01:02:01 - Dark Matter and Milgram - 01:11:51 - The Emergence of Time - 01:21:01 - Statistical Gravity Fluctuations - 01:27:01 - Quantum Computational Complexity - 01:36:01 - Physics Intuition and Mentorship - 01:47:31 - Beauty, Garbage, and Chaos LINKS MENTIONED: Papers, books, websites: - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Tm64-J0AAAAJ - https://journals.aps.org/prb/pdf/10.1103/PhysRevB.4.3174 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1001.0785 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1611.02269 - https://journals.aps.org/pr/pdf/10.1103/PhysRev.47.777 - https://amazon.com/dp/0486600688?tag=toe08-20 - https://www.nature.com/articles/248030a0 - https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:The_Field_Equations_of_Gravitation - https://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9504004 - https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0603001 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1005.3035 - https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0106112 - https://arxiv.org/pdf/1408.3203 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1911.02087 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1905.08255 - https://www.ias.edu/sns/events/iaspctspgi-workshop-quantum-aspects-black-holes-and-spacetime - https://amazon.com/dp/0262533413?tag=toe08-20 Videos: - https://youtu.be/HIoviZe14pY - https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0 - https://youtu.be/gEK4-XtMwro - https://youtu.be/-BsHh3_vCMQ - https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - https://youtu.be/bprxrGaf0Os - https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20 - https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE - https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok - https://youtu.be/kUHOoMX4Bqw - https://youtu.be/_yebLXsIdwo - https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8 - https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4 - https://youtu.be/Bnh-UNrxYZg - https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY - https://youtu.be/Iya6tYN37ow - https://youtu.be/0_Px5gbs9i0 - https://youtu.be/gsSJPLX-BTA - https://youtu.be/73IdQGgfxas - https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-02-16
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Vitaly Vanchurin: This Cosmologist Discovered Something Strange...

What if physics is just the universe learning? Most Theories of Everything episodes are mind?bending for their math, physics, philosophy, or consciousness implications. This one hits all four simultaneously. Professor Vitaly Vanchurin joins me to argue the cosmos isn't just modeled by neural networks?it literally is one. Learning dynamics aren't a metaphor for physics; they are the physics. Vanchurin shows why we need a three?way unification: quantum mechanics, general relativity, and observers. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - The Neural Network Universe - 00:05:48 - Learning Dynamics as Physics - 00:11:52 - Optimization and Variational Principles - 00:21:17 - Deriving Fundamental Field Equations - 00:28:47 - Fermions and Particle Emergence - 00:37:17 - Geometry of Learning Algorithms - 00:44:53 - Emergent Quantum Mechanics - 00:50:01 - Renormalization and Interpretability - 00:57:00 - Second Law of Learning - 01:05:10 - Subatomic Natural Selection - 01:15:40 - Consciousness and Learning Efficiency - 01:24:09 - Unifying Physics and Observers - 01:31:01 - Qualia and Hidden Variables - 01:40:24 - Free Energy Principle Integration - 01:46:04 - Epistemological Doubt and Advice LINKS MENTIONED: - Vitaly's Papers: https://inspirebeta.net/literature?sort=mostrecent&size=25&page=1&q=find%20author%20vanchurin - Vitaly's Lecture: https://youtu.be/TagDLiLb2VQ - Vitaly's Website: https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/~vitaly/ - Towards A Theory Of Machine Learning [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2004.09280 - Autonomous Particles [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2301.10077 - Emergent Field Theories From Neural Networks [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.08138 - Covariant Gradient Descent [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.05279 - A Quantum-Classical Duality And Emergent Spacetime [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.06083 - Emergent Quantumness In Neural Networks [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2012.05082 - Predictability Crisis In Inflationary Cosmology And Its Resolution [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9905097 - Stationary Measure In The Multiverse [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/0812.0005 - The World As A Neural Network [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2008.01540 - Self-Organized Criticality In Neural Networks [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2107.03402v1 - One Hundred Authors Against Einstein [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/B09PHH7KC8?tag=toe08-20 - Geocentric Cosmology: A New Look At The Measure Problem [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/1006.4148 - Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/gEK4-XtMwro - Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/spIquD_mBFk - Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo - Felix Finster [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fXzO_KAqrh0 - Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/FkYer0xP37E - Stephen Wolfram 2 [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4 - Avshalom Elitzur [TOE]: https://youtu.be/pWRAaimQT1E - Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE - Wayne Myrvold [TOE]: https://youtu.be/HIoviZe14pY - Cumrun Vafa [TOE]: https://youtu.be/kUHOoMX4Bqw - Claudia De Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8 - Lee Smolin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uOKOodQXjhc - Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk - Matthew Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM - Andres Emilsson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/BBP8WZpYp0Y - Will Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3fkg0uTA3qU - David Wallace [TOE]: https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM - Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uk4NZorRjCo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-02-09
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This Quantum Physicist Says The Wave Function Isn't Real: Rob Spekkens

From Ancient Egypt to Leibniz... Brand?new interview out with Robert Spekkens of the Perimeter Institute, one of the sharpest minds working on quantum foundations. In 2004, he constructed a classical toy theory where your maximum knowledge is always incomplete?and out popped the no-cloning theorem, teleportation, and interference effects Feynman deemed impossible to reproduce classically. Spekkens compares our situation to Egyptian hieroglyphs before Champollion: a category mistake where we treat quantum states as descriptions of reality when they actually describe knowledge of reality. If you?re interested in the topics above, you?ll love this podcast. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - Defining Quantum Innovation - 00:06:40 - Realism vs. Empiricism - 00:12:12 - Leibnizian Methodological Principle - 00:23:40 - Causal Explanations of Correlations - 00:30:24 - Epistemic Quantum States - 00:41:00 - Foil Theory Methodology - 00:54:00 - Causal Influence vs. Signaling - 01:07:27 - Thermodynamics and Ignorance - 01:15:00 - Conceptual Understanding in Physics - 01:21:00 - Philosophy of Physics Utility - 01:30:00 - Speckins' Toy Theory Origins - 01:40:13 - Perimeter Institute's Ambitious DNA - 01:52:00 - PBR Theorem Implications - 02:05:40 - Ontic Separability Assumptions - 02:17:40 - Hieroglyphs and Category Mistakes - 02:29:00 - Revolutionizing Modern Physics - 02:37:20 - Unscrambling Causation and Inference LINKS MENTIONED: Journals, papers, books: - https://www.rwspekkens.com - https://pirsa.org/speaker/Robert-Spekkens - https://arxiv.org/pdf/2507.01122 - https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0401052 - https://arxiv.org/abs/0706.2661 - https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0406166 - https://arxiv.org/pdf/2207.11779 - https://amazon.com/dp/1108066488?tag=toe08-20 - https://www.jstor.org/stable/687269 - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm-copenhagen/ - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity-indiscernible/ - https://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einstein/specrel/specrel.pdf - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spacetime-holearg/ - https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/mathematics/hidden-variable-theory - https://www.nature.com/articles/299802a0 - https://arxiv.org/pdf/2011.01286 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02058098 - https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.07161 - https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/maxwells-equation - https://www.einstein-online.info/en/spotlight/equivalence_principle/ - https://perimeterinstitute.ca/ - https://amazon.com/dp/9810241054?tag=toe08-20 - https://journals.aps.org/pr/pdf/10.1103/PhysRev.47.777 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1111.3328 - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/rosetta-stone-hieroglyphs-champollion-decipherment-egypt-180980834/ - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160932707000282 Videos: - https://youtu.be/gEK4-XtMwro - https://youtu.be/YWbjI-QsH2E - https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss - https://youtu.be/NKOd8imBa2s - https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs - https://youtu.be/Tghl6aS5A3M - https://youtu.be/HIoviZe14pY - https://youtu.be/bprxrGaf0Os - https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM - https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s - https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo - https://youtu.be/uOKOodQXjhc - https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - https://youtu.be/gsSJPLX-BTA - https://youtu.be/FFW14zSYiFY - https://youtu.be/HhWWlJFwTqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-02-02
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Subir Sarkar: Why Dark Energy is a Local Illusion

Hot off the press, Professor Subir Sarkar makes the case that dark energy doesn?t exist (and he?s not being provocative for its own sake). He?s the former head of Oxford?s particle theory group, serves on the Particle Data Group. Sarkar's group has found that the cosmic acceleration supposedly driving the universe's expansion is directional?not uniform as required by a cosmological constant?appearing only in the direction we're moving through space. He claims the 2011 Nobel Prize-winning discovery rests on a century-old assumption of cosmic isotropy that his data now falsifies at over 5 sigma. "We need to go back to square one." SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 LINKS MENTIONED: - https://inspirehep.net/literature/52370 - https://journals.aps.org/pr/abstract/10.1103/PhysRev.174.2168 - https://www.nature.com/articles/srep35596 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1610.08972 - https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993ApJ...413L.105P/abstract - https://arxiv.org/abs/1503.01229 - https://inference-review.com/article/heart-of-darkness - https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/206/2/377/1024995 - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235329300_The_NRAO_VLA_sky_survey - https://arxiv.org/pdf/1304.3627 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1608.06483 - https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=hYPXSjkAAAAJ&citation_for_view=hYPXSjkAAAAJ:k_IJM867U9cC - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.18.533281v2.full - https://amazon.com/dp/0486472051?tag=toe08-20 - https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0 - https://youtu.be/kUHOoMX4Bqw - https://youtu.be/5pOpcCT6AmY - https://youtu.be/guQIkV6yCik - https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs - https://youtu.be/dG_uKJx6Lpg - https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU - https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8 - https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY - https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20 - https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE - https://youtu.be/fAaXk_WoQqQ - https://arxiv.org/abs/1506.01354 - https://www.nature.com/articles/366029a0 - https://arxiv.org/pdf/1808.04597 - https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/2014/08/aa23413-14.pdf - https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.10838 - https://archive.org/details/generalprinciple0000paul/page/n1/mode/2up - https://arxiv.org/pdf/1205.3365 - https://amazon.com/dp/0471925675?tag=toe08-20 - https://arxiv.org/abs/1112.3108 - https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/9506283 - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/037026938491565X - https://journals.aps.org/rmp/pdf/10.1103/RevModPhys.79.1349 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjs/s11734-021-00199-6 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10701-005-9042-8 - https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/9ygx-z2yq Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-01-26
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Stuart Kauffman: There Is No Theory of Everything

This is an interview with Stuart Kauffman, one of the founders of complexity theory. He invented random Boolean networks at only 23 years old and helped establish the Santa Fe Institute. Now 86, he makes a striking claim: there is no theory of everything. Kauffman argues that biological evolution creates genuinely new possibilities that cannot be deduced from prior states?paralleling the ancient Chinese Tao more than Plato's Logos. He also believes he's found something new in quantum gravity (and, in his words, "genuinely huge"). He unveils it here for the first time. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e LINKS MENTIONED: - Investigations [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/B00W0DHAH6?tag=toe08-20 - Stuart Kauffman's Books [Amazon]: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APT8XK - A Third Transition In Science? [Article]: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article/13/3/20220063/89381/A-third-transition-in-science-A-third-transition - Genetic Regulatory Mechanisms In Protein Synthesis [Paper]: https://www.gs.washington.edu/academics/courses/braun/55106/readings/jacob_and_monod.pdf - Is Mind In Spacetime? [Paper]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38969235/ - The World Is Not A Theorem [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.00284 - Origins Of Order [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0195079515?tag=toe08-20 - The Universal Constructor [Article]: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.157.3785.180.a - Metabolic Stability And Epigenesis In Random Genetic Nets [Paper]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0022519369900150 - Antichaos And Adaptation [Article]: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24938683 - The Selfish Gene [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0199291152?tag=toe08-20 - Biological Organization As Closure Of Constraints [Paper]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022519315001009 - Physics And Philosophy [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0061209198?tag=toe08-20 - Combinatorial Chemistry: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/combinatorial-chemistry - Connections [Series]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.484e32c5-60bd-4493-a800-e44fd0940312 - Gonen Ashkenasy's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7kP7Fi4AAAAJ - Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s - Anna Ciaunica & Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA - Plato's Cave [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PurNlwnxwfY - "Is God A Taoist?" [TOE]: https://youtu.be/P-jh6tRh3Jw - Chiara Marletto [TOE]: https://youtu.be/40CB12cj_aM - John Donoghue [TOE]: https://youtu.be/dG_uKJx6Lpg - Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/wbP0KjWm0pw - Tim Palmer [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vlklA6jsS8A - Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss - Lee Smolin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uOKOodQXjhc - Carlo Rovelli [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY - Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE - Richard Dawkins's Lecture: https://youtu.be/nfZMyJq6BBM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-01-20
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Timothy Williamson: Philosophy?s Most Formidable Living Mind

Free ZWILLING Four Star Chef's Knife on your 3rd box ($144.99 value) + 10 Free Meals and your first box ship free with code CURTJHFZWL at https://hellofresh.yt.link/4u4Vh7m! This is an interview with Oxford?s Timothy Williamson. He?s one of the most cited living philosophers, and simultaneously one of the most controversial (yet respected). He dismantles physicalism, solipsism, and reductionism??explaining why consciousness is philosophically overrated and why AI in its current form likely lacks genuine mental states. This will be a tour?de?force episode into all things related to looking deeply and fundamentally. If you?re interested in consciousness, free will, art, language, and meaning, I believe you?ll love this episode. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - Vagueness & Sorites Paradox - 00:07:12 - Identity, Physicalism, Non-Physicals - 00:22:30 - Realism vs. Anti-Realism - 00:29:50 - The Problem of Skepticism - 00:35:40 - Cognitive Heuristics & Doubt - 00:43:00 - Solipsism's Appeal & Pitfalls - 00:50:00 - Solipsism: A Critique - 00:57:30 - Pluralism & Consciousness - 01:06:00 - AI, Mental States, Ontology - 01:15:50 - Mind, Knowledge, Meaning - 01:26:00 - Philosophical Heuristics - 01:32:00 - Counterfactuals & Logic - 01:38:00 - Personal Philosophy LINKS MENTIONED: - Overfitting and Heuristics in Philosophy [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Overfitting-Heuristics-Philosophy-Rutgers-Lectures/dp/0197779212 - Timothy Williamson's Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=IH-44VwAAAAJ&hl=en - Sorites Paradox: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/sorites-paradox/ - Philosophical Investigations [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Philosophical-Investigations-Ludwig-Wittgenstein/dp/0631205691 - I Do Not Exist [Paper]: https://academic.oup.com/book/53296/chapter-abstract/422023005 - O'Shaughnessy Ventures: https://www.osv.llc/ - Barry Loewer & Eddy Chen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0 - Bas Van Fraassen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/lhpRAWxvY5s - Matthew Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM - Jennifer Nagel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/CWZVMZ9Tm7Q - Leo Gura [TOE]: https://youtu.be/YspFR9JAq3w - Iain McGilchrist [TOE]: https://youtu.be/M-SgOwc6Pe4 - The Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk - Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uk4NZorRjCo - Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE - Elan Barenholtz [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY - Ben Goertzel & Joscha Bach [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xw7omaQ8SgA - Claudia de Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8 - Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4 - Elan Barenholtz & Will Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE - Greg Kondrak [TOE]: https://youtu.be/FFW14zSYiFY - Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2026-01-13
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I?m Giving Away $5,000 to Explain Hard Physics (and AI)

Host Curt Jaimungal launches #CORE1, a competition seeking high-level video explainers for physics, AI, and philosophy. If you're a researcher or student, you'll have a chance to win part of the $5,000 prize pool by sharing your technical expertise with the world. For inquiries, email: [email protected] TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00 - Incentivizing Advanced Research Exposition - 05:05 - Formalizing Pedagogical Evaluation Standards LINKS: - CORE1 FAQ: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/core - CORE1 Submission Form: https://tally.so/r/xXrk1o - CORE1 Discord Link: https://discord.com/invite/VdGFUYtPDS - For Inquiries, email: [email protected] - Constructive QFT: https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/constructive+quantum+field+theory - Coleman-Mandula Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman%E2%80%93Mandula_theorem - Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo - Emily Riehl [TOE]: https://youtu.be/mTwvecBthpQ - Summer of Math Exposition: https://some.3b1b.co/ - Scaling Laws for Neural Language Models [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2001.08361 - Elan Barenholtz [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY - Elan Barenholtz & William Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE - Joscha Bach & Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/CcQMYNi9a2w - Double Descent Demystified [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2303.14151 - Ted Jacobson on Diffeomorphism Invariance: https://youtu.be/r6kdHge-NNY - Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo - Barry Loewer & Eddy Chen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0 - 3Blue1Brown's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/3blue1brown - Bas van Fraassen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/lhpRAWxvY5s - Can Physics Explain Its Own Laws? [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0_Px5gbs9i0 - Max Tegmark [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-gekVfUAS7c - Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE - Sir Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk - Why I Don't Buy the Simulation Hypothesis [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3_lBPMc6JRY - String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-12-18
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Bas van Fraassen: Why Science Doesn't Reveal Reality

Professor Bas van Fraassen argues science doesn't deliver literal truth about reality, meaning unobservable physics is merely a model. He also contends the self isn't a thing and that logic permits free will, ultimately sharing how he maintains faith in God without relying on metaphysics. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00 - Reality vs. Appearance - 08:40 - Scientific Realism vs. Anti-Realism - 16:30 - The "No Miracles" Argument - 22:26 - Common Sense Realism - 27:54 - Trusting Instruments vs. Theories - 34:22 - Kierkegaard's Call to Decision - 41:50 - Determinism is a Model - 48:50 - Sartre on Free Will - 56:47 - Causation Doesn't Exist in Physics - 01:05:47 - Language of Human Action - 01:15:54 - Tarski's Limitative Theorems - 01:23:50 - "I Am Not a Thing" - 01:34:20 - Rejecting Analytic Metaphysics - 01:40:17 - Does God Exist? - 01:50:50 - Disagreement on Monty Hall - 01:56:15 - Conversion to Catholicism LINKS MENTIONED: - The Scientific Image [Book]: https://amzn.to/499SA72 - Bas's Blog: https://basvanfraassensblog.home.blog/about-me-2/ - The Empirical Stance [Book]: https://amzn.to/3MWbKEK - Bas's Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EBj6wCAAAAAJ&hl=en - Bas's Published Books: https://amzn.to/3L0njdw - Reality Is Not What It Seems [Book]: https://amzn.to/3YseMDe - Matthew Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM - The "No Miracles" Argument: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-realism/#MiraArgu - Bas On Closer To Truth: https://youtu.be/nQnQ9ndlYi4 - The Most Terrifying Philosopher I've Encountered [TOE]: https://youtu.be/BWYxRM__TBU - Curt Reads Plato's Cave [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PurNlwnxwfY - Avshalom Elitzur [TOE]: https://youtu.be/pWRAaimQT1E - Formal Philosophy [Paper]: https://archive.org/details/formalphilosophy00mont/page/n5/mode/2up - Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8 - Time And Chance [Book]: https://amzn.to/4qb6tru - Aaron Schurger [TOE]: https://youtu.be/yDDgDSmfS6Q - Nancy Cartwright's Published Work: https://www.profnancycartwright.com/publications/books/ - Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss - Elan Barenholtz & Will Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE - On The Electrodynamics Of Moving Bodies [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/Einstein_graduate/pdfs/Einstein_STR_1905_English.pdf - The 'Twin Earth' Thought Experiment: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hilary-Putnam#ref1204773 - Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/spIquD_mBFk - The Nonexistent Knight [Book]: https://amzn.to/3XWxfrs - Wolfgang Smith [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vp18_L_y_30 - Neil deGrasse Tyson Doesn't Understand What "Belief" Means [Article]: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/i-dont-use-the-word-belief-and-scientific - The Monty Hall Problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem - Daniel Dennett [TOE]: https://youtu.be/bH553zzjQlI - Michael Dummett: https://iep.utm.edu/michael-dummett/ - How To Define Theoretical Terms [Paper]: https://www.princeton.edu/~hhalvors/teaching/phi520_f2012/lewis-theoretical-terms.pdf - The Model-Theoretic Argument: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/realism-sem-challenge/model-theory-completeness.html - Remembering Hilary Putnam [Article]: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/remembering-hilary-putnam-harvard-philosopher-and-religious-jew - Hilary Lawson: https://www.hilarylawson.com/biography/ - Language Isn't Just Low Resolution Communication: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/language-isnt-just-low-resolution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-12-15
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ANNOUNCEMENT: Testing the Limits of Gravity w/ Penrose ? Fuentes

Sir Roger Penrose and Professor Ivette Fuentes analyze the Ron Folman T-cubed experiment and whether the equivalence principle holds in quantum mechanics. They also detail gravity's role in wave function collapse, the existence of gravitons, and cyclic cosmology. SPONSORS: - Thank you Nolah for sponsoring! Click here https://nolahmattress.com/toe and use CODE: TOE to get an extra $50 off your mattress. - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00:00 - The Ron Folman Experiment - 00:08:12 - Quantum Equivalence Principle - 00:15:00 - Gravitational Wavefunction Collapse - 00:25:14 - Active vs. Passive Gravity - 00:33:40 - Bose-Einstein Condensate Tests - 00:44:30 - Do Gravitons Exist? - 00:56:02 - Evidence Before the Big Bang - 01:04:11 - Testing Collapse Models LINKS MENTIONED: - Ivette?s Website: https://ivettefuentes.weebly.com/ - Ivette?s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=W7-xksIAAAAJ&hl=en - Roger?s Published Papers: https://inspirehep.net/authors/993859 - Human Test: How Predictability, Creativity, And The Quantum Mind Will Redefine Life In The Age Of AI [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Human-Test-Predictability-Creativity-Redefine/dp/149308920X - The Equivalence Principle: https://www.britannica.com/science/equivalence-principle - Nikita Nekrasov [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PH0CzN5qspI - Exploring The Unification Of Quantum Theory And General Relativity With A Bose-Einstein Condensate [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1812.04630 - Jacob Barandes & Manolis Kellis [TOE]: https://youtu.be/MTD8xkbiGis - Observation Of The Quantum Equivalence Principle For Matter-Waves [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.14535 - Claudia de Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8 - Markus Aspelmeyer?s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DH7xfEgAAAAJ&hl=en - Hendrik Ulbricht Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6d15M50AAAAJ&hl=en - Ron Folman?s Lecture: https://youtu.be/uVN7zapPtvw - Ivette?s Solo Interview [TOE]: https://youtu.be/YWbjI-QsH2E - Roger?s Solo Interview [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk - Cumrun Vafa [TOE]: https://youtu.be/kUHOoMX4Bqw - Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6Z_p3viqW1g - Alexia Lopez?s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=PaPfR4sAAAAJ&hl=en - Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE - Alexia Lopez?s Lecture: https://youtu.be/-zkGk6EPMC8 - A Big Ring On The Sky [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2402.07591 - The DP Model: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Diosi-Penrose-DP-model-of-gravity-related-wave-function-collapse-a-According-to_fig1_344161033 - Underground Test Of Gravity-Related Wave Function Collapse [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2111.13490 - Curt?s Talk With Roger On IAI: https://youtu.be/VQM0OtxvZ-Y - Ron Folman?s T Cube Experiment: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.03879 - Carlo Rovelli [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY - Fay Dowker [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PgYHEPCLVas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-11-25
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Curt Jaimungal: The Most Terrifying Philosopher I?ve Encountered

Curt Jaimungal dives into Kierkegaard?s three stages of life?aesthetic, ethical, and religious ? showing how each promises freedom yet traps us in its own way. Through the lens of modern anxiety and constant choice, he explores why the ?leap of faith? isn?t blind irrationality but a way of living with authenticity when reason hits its limits. Sponsors: - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: - 00:00 - Kierkegaard and Faith - 03:16 - The Three Stages - 05:10 - Anti-Helegianism - 10:52 - Self-Examination and "Knowing Thyself" Links mentioned: - The Most Terrifying Philosopher I?ve Encountered: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-most-terrifying-philosopher-ive - Soren Kierkegaard: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kierkegaard/ - Either/Or [Book]: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.504967/page/n125/mode/2up - Michael Sugrue On Kierkegaard: https://youtu.be/SMJc9UMzFSE - Hegelianism: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hegelianism - Max Tegmark [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-gekVfUAS7c - Sir Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk - Curt?s Presentation: https://youtu.be/3_lBPMc6JRY SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-11-20
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Ivette Fuentes: The Breakthrough We Can Test Right Now

Professor Ivette Fuentes makes impossible physics testable, with verified predictions on the Casimir effect and quantum vacuum. Now she's building a "third way" to quantum gravity, a surprisingly simple model that changes both quantum mechanics and relativity instead of forcing one to dominate the other. SPONSORS: - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe SUPPORT: - Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e TIMESTAMPS: - 00:00 - A Third Way to Quantum Gravity - 07:35 - Vacuum-Induced Berry Phase - 12:30 - Dynamical Casimir Effect - 19:02 - Stagnation in Physics? - 29:25 - A Third Way to Unification - 38:20 - What is Physics? - 43:43 - What is Entanglement? - 56:11 - Observer-Dependent Entanglement - 1:03:20 - Advice for Students LINKS MENTIONED: - Ivette?s First Appearance [TOE]: https://youtu.be/cUj2TcZSlZc - Ivette?s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=W7-xksIAAAAJ&hl=en - Ivette?s Website: https://ivettefuentes.weebly.com/ - Berry Phase: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/mathematics/berry-phase - Maria Violaris [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Iya6tYN37ow - Casimir Effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_effect - Towards Universal Quantum Computation Through Relativistic Motion [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1311.5619 - SQUID: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQUID - Observation Of The Dynamical Casimir Effect In A Superconducting Circuit [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1105.4714 - Generating Multimode Entangled Microwaves With A Superconducting Parametric Cavity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1709.00083 - Sir Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk - String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - Felix Finster [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fXzO_KAqrh0 - Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6Z_p3viqW1g - Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8 - Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/wrUvtqr4wOs - Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss - Bertlemann?s Socks And The Nature Of Reality [Paper]: https://cds.cern.ch/record/142461/files/198009299.pdf - Perimeter Institute: https://perimeterinstitute.ca/ - Alice Falls Into A Black Hole [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0410172 - Observer Dependent Entanglement [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1210.2223 - Frederic Schuller [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Bnh-UNrxYZg - Vacuum Induced Spin-1/2 Berry Phase [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0202128 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-11-10
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Curt Jaimungal: Can Physics Explain Its Own Laws?

Why do physical laws have their specific form? Host Curt Jaimungal shows this question is a philosophical knot, because any "explanation" must itself stand on a law. Sponsors: - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: - 00:00 - Why Physical Laws? - 05:04 - The Justification Problem - 12:14 - The Limits of Explanation Links mentioned: - Wigner?s Classification: https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/Wigner+classification - Noether?s Theorem: https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/Noether%27s+theorem - This Is What Energy Actually Is [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hQk9GLZ0Fms - Do Symmetries ?Explain? Conservation Laws? [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2010.10909 - Max Tegmark [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-gekVfUAS7c - Lee Smolin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uOKOodQXjhc - Amanda Gefter [TOE]: https://youtu.be/yABPvDJ6Zgs - John Norton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Tghl6aS5A3M - Laws of Physics [Eddy Keming Chen]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.03484 - What?s Actually Possible: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-unexamined-in-principle - Eddy Chen & Barry Loewer [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0 - The Package Deal Accounts of Laws and Properties [Paper]: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-020-02765-2 - David Deutsch [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vKeWv-cdWkM - Elan Barenholtz & Will Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE - Münchhausen Trilemma [Wikipedia]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchhausen_trilemma - Jennifer Nagel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/CWZVMZ9Tm7Q - Law Without Law [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1712.01826 - Schrodinger Equation: https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/Schr%C3%B6dinger+equation - Born Rule: https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/Born+rule - Enaction of Qbists [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.04230 - Constructor Theory [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1210.7439 - The Package Deal Account of Laws and Properties [Paper]: https://sites.rutgers.edu/barry-loewer/wp-content/uploads/sites/195/2020/05/Loewer-2020-The-Package-Deal-Account.pdf - Jonathan Pageau [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X3co_AA6yec - The Most Abused Theorem in Math (Godel?s Incompleteness) [TOE]: https://youtu.be/OH-ybecvuEo SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-11-05
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Roger Penrose: Why The Big Bang Was Not The Beginning

Nobel laureate Sir Roger Penrose dismantles standard cosmology, arguing the Big Bang wasn't the beginning and quantum mechanics is fundamentally wrong. He then connects a real, gravitational wave function collapse to the non-computational nature of consciousness and why today's AI can't truly understand. Sponsors: - Get 50% off Claude Pro, including access to Claude Code, at https://claude.ai/theoriesofeverything - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: - 00:00 - The Big Bang Wasn't The Beginning - 02:14 - Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC) - 09:12 - The Collapse Problem - 14:31 - A Feeling of Elation - 24:32 - Gödel and Understanding - 37:32 - Gravitational Collapse - 50:05 - Critique of Modern AI - 57:12 - Black Hole Information "Paradox" - 1:04:15 - Wheeler, Wigner, & Witten - 1:15:04 - Richard Feynman in Poland - 1:20:25 - Libet's Timing of Consciousness - 1:32:49 - Three Worlds, Three Mysteries - 1:44:14 - Why Quantum Mechanics Is Wrong Links mentioned: - Stuart Hameroff [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0_bQwdJir1o - Classical Theory [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/9409195 - Rebecca Goldstein [TOE]: https://youtu.be/VkL3BcKEB6Y - The Emperor?s New Mind [Book]: https://www.amazon.ca/Emperors-New-Mind-Concerning-Computers/dp/0192861980 - Fashion, Faith, and Fantasy in the New Physics of the Universe [Book]: https://www.amazon.ca/Fashion-Faith-Fantasy-Physics-Universe/dp/0691178534 - Perturbative Gauge Theory as a String Theory in Twistor Space [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0312171 - What Is Life? [Book]: https://www.amazon.ca/What-Life-Matter-Autobiographical-Sketches/dp/1107604664 - Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Exdz2HKP7u0 - Why I Don?t Buy the Simulation Hypothesis (Nor Materialism) [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3_lBPMc6JRY - Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics [Book]: https://www.amazon.ca/Consciousness-Quantum-Mechanics-Shan-Gao/dp/0197501664 - Ivette Fuentes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/cUj2TcZSlZc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-11-03
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Aaron Schurger: "No. Neuroscience Does NOT Threaten Free Will."

The Libet experiment didn't kill free will, says professor of neuroscience Aaron Schurger; the brain's "readiness potential" is simply stochastic neural noise. We then tackle consciousness's role in initiating action, the hard problem, and what it'd take for neuroscience to truly disprove our choices. If you?re interested in the topics above, I think you?ll love this podcast. Sponsors: - Get 50% off Claude Pro, including access to Claude Code, at https://claude.ai/theoriesofeverything - Get your copy of Richard Fain?s Delivering the Wow?available today on Amazon, or wherever you buy your books. - As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: - 00:00 - The Readiness Potential - 07:14 - Reinterpreting Libet's Results - 24:18 - Autocorrelated Neural Noise - 36:06 - Noise vs. Conscious Imperative - 43:46 - Resolving Libet's Paradox - 50:55 - The Point of No Return - 56:11 - Attention Schema Theory - 01:03:47 - Explaining "What It's Like" - 01:17:00 - Consciousness & Action Initiation - 01:24:54 - Testing Consciousness Thresholds Links mentioned: - Aaron Schurger?s Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lBSjfagAAAAJ&hl=en - Daniel Dennett [TOE]: https://youtu.be/bH553zzjQlI - Determined: A Science Of Life Without Free Will [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Determined-Science-Life-without-Free/dp/B0BVNSX4CQ/ref=sr_1_1 - Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8 - An Accumulator Model For Spontaneous Neuralactivity Prior To Self-Initiated Movement [Paper]: https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.1210467109 - Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk - Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4 - Awareness As A Perceptual Model Of Attention [Paper]: https://grazianolab.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf3411/files/graziano/files/cog_neurosci_2011b.pdf - Cortical Activity Is More Stable When Sensory Stimuliare Consciously Perceived [Paper]: https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.1418730112 - Propofol Anesthesia Destabilizes Neural Dynamics Across Cortex [Paper]: https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0896-6273%2824%2900446-X - Jenann Ismael [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7kvXihDAOi0 SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-10-30
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Curt Jaimungal: Why I Don't Buy the Simulation Hypothesis (Nor Materialism)

As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe One week ago, I (Curt Jaimungal) was invited to Niagara University to give the Peggy and John Day University Honors Endowed Lecture, which was quite the privilege and honor. The lecture focuses on metaphysics. I explain extremely simply the arguments for you being a ?simulation,? the arguments against it, and where I personally land. Then I do the same for ?materialism.? Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: - 00:00 - Simulation vs. Materialism - 05:04 - Mistakes Intellectuals Make - 10:12 - The Simulation Mythology - 16:46 - Bayesian Errors & Glitches - 23:22 - Principle of Indifference Flaws - 29:07 - The Case Against Materialism / Physicalism - 35:28 - Nested Consciousness Problem - 42:36 - Q&A: Modern Dualism? - 50:51 - Debating Indifference Principle Links mentioned: - Niagara University?s 2025 Fall Speaker Series: https://www.niagara.edu/academics/initiatives-and-institutes/fall-speaker-series/ - Michael Barnwell [Site]: https://www.philosophy4business.com/ - David Deutsch [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vKeWv-cdWkM - Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU - David Chalmers [TOE]: https://youtu.be/RH5qjdHhtBk - The Most Abused Theorem in Math [TOE]: https://youtu.be/OH-ybecvuEo - The Mandela Effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_memory#Mandela_effect - Efron?s Dice: https://mathworld.wolfram.com/EfronsDice.html - String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY - Emily Adlam & Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/rw1ewLJUgOg - Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-10-21
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Yakir Aharonov: The Future Propagates Backward in Quantum Theory

As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Physicist Yakir Aharonov argues that the standard story of quantum mechanics is wrong, proposing a time-symmetric ?two-state vector? view in which reality is defined by wavefunctions from both past and future. He explains weak measurements (information without collapse), nonlocal dynamics behind interference, and phenomena like the ?quantum Cheshire Cat.? Aharonov recounts the birth of the Aharonov?Bohm effect, why gauge potentials mislead about locality, and how pre and post-selection restore causal insight without determinism. He shares memories of Bohm, Heisenberg, and Feynman, touches on gravitational and non-Abelian AB analogs, and lays out why a clear narrative?not just math?is essential to understanding quantum theory. Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Links mentioned: - Yakir?s Papers: https://inspirehep.net/authors/1023512 - Jenann Ismael [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7kvXihDAOi0 - Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU - Shift Of An Electron Interference Pattern By Enclosed Magnetic Flux [Paper]: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.5.3 SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-10-13
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David Deutsch: Einstein Would Fail Modern Grant Applications

David Deutsch argues that Einstein would struggle to secure modern research grants, exposing how funding systems favor incremental work over bold, fundamental ideas. He connects this bias to quantum computing, constructor theory, free will, and the role of creativity in scientific breakthroughs.- 00:00 - Einstein's Grant Application- 07:00 - Funding People, Not Projects- 12:35 - Is Physics Stagnant?- 17:34 - The "Checkbox" Problem- 26:05 - Physics vs. Math Departments- 32:42 - Fundamental vs. Foundational- 40:08 - Physicists and Philosophy- 45:44 - Why Academics Are Silent- 51:20 - The Problem of Quantum Gravity- 58:31 - Qubit Field Theory- 1:03:18 - Problem-Solving in Physics- 1:17:14 - Deutsch's "Impossible" List- 1:24:23 - Meeting Hugh Everett- 1:35:01 - Susskind's MWI Objections- 1:46:44 - Everett and Quantum Computing- 1:56:20 - Constructor Theory- 2:03:01 - Free Will and Knowledge- 2:09:08 - Follow The FunSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off - https://www.economist.com/toe- Claude: 50% off Claude Pro - http://claude.ai/theoriesofeverythingRESOURCES:- Beginning Of Infinity [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Infinity-Explanations-Transform-World/dp/0143121359- How To Reverse Academia?s Stagnation [YouTube]: https://youtu.be/Em-85baHx0A- Qubit Field Theory [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0401024- Quantum Theory, The Church?Turing Principle And The Universal Quantum Computer [Paper]: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.1985.0070- ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/- Scott Aaronson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/1ZpGCQoL2Rk- Wayne Myrvold [TOE]: https://youtu.be/HIoviZe14pY- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- Alex Honnold [TOE]: https://youtu.be/D4oXvxqzSyA- Michael Levin ? Anna Ciaunica: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/FkYer0xP37E- The Heisenberg Picture: https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Advanced_Statistical_Mechanics_(Tuckerman)/09%3A_Review_of_the_basic_postulates_of_quantum_mechanics/9.04%3A_The_Heisenberg_Picture- Jacob Barandes ? Emily Adlam: https://youtu.be/rw1ewLJUgOg- Everett?s Letter To DeWitt: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/manyworlds/orig-02.html- The Many-Worlds Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Interpretation-Quantum-Mechanics-Princeton-Library/dp/069161895X- Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- Sean Carroll [TOE]: https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo- David Wallace [TOE]: https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM- Chiara Marletto [TOE]: https://youtu.be/40CB12cj_aM- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8- Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/spIquD_mBFk- Maria Violaris [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Iya6tYN37ow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-10-06
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Wayne Myrvold: A 2 Hour Deep Dive Into Entropy

Wayne Myrvold reinterprets thermodynamics as a resource theory, arguing that the slogan ?entropy always increases? follows from the second law rather than defining it. The conversation contrasts Gibbs and Boltzmann entropy, examines Maxwell?s demon, Landauer erasure, statistical bounds on Carnot efficiency, and explores implications for cosmology, ergodicity, and collapse theories, ending with pedagogical reflections and career advice.- 00:00 - Is entropy in the system or in our minds?- 07:12 - Original thermodynamics as a resource theory of heat and power- 18:24 - The second law does not assume entropy; entropy requires the second law- 30:58 - From caloric to molecular motion: historical view- 39:04 - Maxwell's insight: why the second law is not absolute- 48:11 - Information as a resource: knowledge and entropy- 1:00:53 - Boltzmann vs Gibbs: objective vs subjective entropy- 1:10:24 - Maxwell's demon and Landauer's principle- 1:25:02 - The inevitable "heat death" of the universe?- 1:30:19 - Why "disorder" misleads- 1:35:21 - Ergodic hypothesis: relevance and limits- 1:43:52 - Is statistical mechanics on shaky ground (like QFT)?- 1:50:50 - Career advice: do not join bandwagonsRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- Concerning Several Conveniently Applicable Forms For The Main Equations Of The Mechanical Heat Theory [Paper]: https://web.lemoyne.edu/giunta/Clausius1865.pdf- John Norton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Tghl6aS5A3M- On An Absolute Thermometric Scale [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/2559_Therm_Stat_Mech/docs/Thomson_1848.pdf- Carnot Efficiency: https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Carnot_efficiency- Maxwell's Talk On Molecules: https://victorianweb.org/science/maxwell/molecules.html- Helmholtz Free Energy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/helmholtz-free-energy- Boltzmann Entropy: https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Western_Washington_University/Biophysical_Chemistry_(Smirnov_and_McCarty)/01%3A_Biochemical_Thermodynamics/1.05%3A_The_Boltzmann_Distribution_and_the_Statistical_Definition_of_Entropy- Maxwell's Letter: https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PH-CAVENDISH-P-00092/1- Landauer's Principle: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S135521980300039X- On A Universal Tendency In Nature To The Dissipation Of Mechanical Energy: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14786445208647126- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Sean Carroll [TOE]: https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo- Understanding The Infinite [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Infinite-Shaughan-Lavine/dp/0674921178- Classical Electrodynamics [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Classical_Electrodynamics-John-David-Jackson/dp/1119770769- Why Information Is Entropy [YouTube]: https://youtu.be/8Uilw9t-syQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-29
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Michael Levin ? Anil Seth: Your Brain Isn?t a Computer and That Changes Everything

Anil Seth and Michael Levin debate whether brains are computers, how consciousness relates to substrate, and if algorithms can ever capture life and mind. Levin argues machines can access a platonic space of agency via embodied interfaces, xenobots, and compositional agents, while Seth challenges the software-hardware split using information theory, Granger causality, and psychophysics. Together they probe islands of awareness, degeneracy, bubble-sort side quests, LLM surprises, alignment, and how to ask better scientific questions.- 00:00 - Anil Seth & Michael Levin: Islands of Consciousness & Xenobots- 08:24 - Substrate Dependence: Why Biology Isn't Just 'Wetware'- 13:13 - Beyond Algorithms: Do Machines Tap Into a 'Platonic Space'?- 21:46 - The Ghost in the Algorithm: Emergent Agency in Bubble Sort- 29:26 - Degeneracy: The Biological Principle AI is Missing- 36:34 - The Multiplicity of Agency: Are Your Cells Conscious?- 43:24 - Unconscious Processing or Inaccessible Consciousness? The Split-Brain Problem- 49:32 - The Ultimate Experiment to Decode Consciousness- 57:31 - A Counter-Intuitive Discovery: Consciousness is Less Emergent- 1:03:39 - Psychedelics, LLMs, and the Frontiers of SurpriseSPONSORS:- HelloFresh: Get 10 Free Meals + a Free Item for Life. One per box with active subscription; free meals applied as discount on first box; new subscribers only; varies by plan. http://HelloFresh.com/THEORIESOFEVERYTHING10FM- Claude: 50% off Claude Pro, including Claude Code. http://claude.ai/theoriesofeverythingRESOURCES:- Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s- Anil Seth [TOE]: https://youtu.be/_hUEqXhDbVs- Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE- Living Things Are Not Machines [Article]: https://www.noemamag.com/living-things-are-not-machines-also-they-totally-are/- Classical Sorting Algorithms [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.05375- Michael Levin and Anna Ciaunica [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA- Being You: A New Science of Consciousness [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Being-You-New-Science-Consciousness/dp/1524742872/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0- The Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk- Iain McGilchrist [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Q9sBKCd2HD0- Matt Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM- Andres Gomez-Emilsson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/gi08eVU_-f8- MIT's Augmentation Summit: https://augmentationlab.org/summit- Granger Causality Analysis [Paper]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25716830/- Dynamical Independence [Paper]: https://journals.aps.org/pre/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevE.99.022143 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-22
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Lilian Dindo: Mindfulness, Acceptance, Coping with Obsessive Thoughts, and ACT Therapy

In this episode Curt Jaimungal talks with Professor Lilian Dindo about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its use for anxiety, panic attacks, and broader mental?health challenges. They discuss how ACT can help uncover personal values, differentiate anxiety from excitement, and even boost learning in math and physics.- 00:00:00 - Introduction- 00:04:05 - What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) therapy?- 00:08:12 - Suffering is a part of life- 00:11:06 - ACT is not just for therapy, but for general illness and rejection- 00:14:24 - Lilian's feeling anxiety in this interview *right now*, but ACT is helping- 00:15:57 - Dealing with panic attacks- 00:18:22 - "Anxiety" and "excitement" are physiologically indistinguishable- 00:20:00 - Implementing ACT (specific example)- 00:26:15 - Stop avoiding. The mind works by addition (not subtraction)!- 00:30:00 - Choosing courage vs. "mustering" courage- 00:30:51 - Coping vs. mollifying- 00:33:45 - Goal oriented vs. Value oriented- 00:36:06 - How to uncover your own values?- 00:42:14 - Do values imply a "should"? (specific example)- 00:47:45 - What separates those for whom therapy works for, from those it doesn't?- 00:54:57 - Suicidal ideation / psychosis (there's hope with ACT)- 00:57:14 - Enhancing learning math / physics- 00:59:50 - Acceptance vs Acknowledgement- 01:01:40 - Physical vs Psychology (mind and body connection)- 01:05:53 - A visual example you can employ to abate anxiety- 01:10:39 - The role of belief / hope / faith / trust- 01:11:08 - "Thanking" the negative thought / emotion- 01:11:50 - People don't suffer with just ONE issue, but multipleSPONSORS:- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything- Merch: https://tinyurl.com/TOEmerchRESOURCES:- YouTube link: https://youtu.be/L_hI7JNsbt0- Lilian's links:- http://actfindyourpath.com- https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/lilian-dindo-20557- https://www.bcm.edu/research/faculty-labs/act-on-health-lab- http://contextualscience.org- Links mentioned:- Karl Friston episode: https://youtu.be/SWtFU1Lit3M- A H Almaas episode: https://youtu.be/6JlKf1QAvXA- Curt's Crash Course on Theoretical Physics: https://youtu.be/e8kyvdPP8os Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-17
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Andrés Gómez-Emilsson: The Mathematics That Predicts Your DMT Trip

In this episode, Curt talks with Andrés Gómez?Emilsson of the Qualia Research Institute about mathematically modeling consciousness and visualizing psychedelic experiences. They explore how color geometry, GPU?driven tools, and concepts like psychedelic thermodynamics can map qualia beyond ordinary sensory input.SPONSORS:- Verso Nightcap Elixir: 15% off your first order - https://evening.ver.so/toe - The Economist: 20% off for TOE listeners - https://www.economist.com/toe RESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com - Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-17
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Curt Jaimungal (Me): Philosophers vs. Physicists

Curt discusses how philosophy has directly contributed to physics through Bell's theorem, decoherence theory, the hole argument, and more. He also explores hidden philosophical assumptions in physics with John Norton that many scientists overlook.SPONSORS:- The Economist: https://www.economist.com/toe- YouTube Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto (Coinbase): https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqsRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- John Norton [TOE]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tghl6aS5A3M&pp=0gcJCR0AztywvtLA- Neil deGrasse Tyson [TOE]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9OkJih3-U- How Not to Do Philosophy of Science [article]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/Goodies/How_not/How_not.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com- Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEK4-XtMwro- The Hole Argument: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spacetime-holearg/- General covariance and general relativity [paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/decades.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com- Emily Adlam ? Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw1ewLJUgOg- Eaters of the lotus [paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/Eaters_final.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com- John Norton?s profile: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/jdnorton.html- #science: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-17
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Stephen Wolfram: Computation, Physics, Going Beyond "Evolution"

In this episode Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica and the Wolfram Language, discusses his view of the universe as a computational system. We examine computational irreducibility, discrete space, multi?way evolution, and how observers shape physical laws from thermodynamics to quantum mechanics. Wolfram also connects his ideas to AI, biology and the emerging field of ruliology.SPONSORS:- Claude: Get 50% off Claude Pro, including access to Claude Code at http://claude.ai/theoriesofeverything- The Economist: 20% off discount for TOE listeners at https://www.economist.com/toe- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Coinbase: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/joinRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-16
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Max Tegmark: Physics Absorbed Artificial Intelligence & (Maybe) Consciousness

MIT physicist Max Tegmark argues that artificial intelligence belongs inside physics and that consciousness will be the next frontier. He distinguishes intelligence from subjective experience, outlines falsifiable experiments with brain?reading technology, and shows how concepts like Hopfield energy landscapes and mechanistic interpretability connect mind, math, and machines.- 00:00 - Why AI is the New Frontier of Physics- 09:38 - Is Consciousness Just a Byproduct of Intelligence?- 16:43 - A Falsifiable Theory of Consciousness? (The MEG Helmet Experiment)- 27:34 - Beyond Neural Correlates: A New Paradigm for Scientific Inquiry- 38:40 - Humanity: The Masters of Underestimation (Fermi's AI Analogy)- 51:27 - What Are an AI's True Goals? (The Serial Killer Problem)- 1:03:42 - Fermat's Principle, Entropy, and the Physics of Goals- 1:15:52 - Eureka Moment: When an AI Discovered Geometry on Its Own- 1:30:01 - Refuting the "AI Doomers": We Have More Agency Than We ThinkSPONSORS:- The Economist: https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Max's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eBXEZxgAAAAJ&hl=en- Language Models Use Trigonometry to Do Addition [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.00873- Generalization from Starvation [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.08255- Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE- Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s- Iceberg of Consciousness [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk- Improved Measures of Integrated Information [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/1601.02626- David Kaiser [TOE]: https://youtu.be/_yebLXsIdwo- Iain McGilchrist [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Q9sBKCd2HD0- Elan Barenholtz & William Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY- Daniel Schmachtenberger [TOE]: https://youtu.be/g7WtcTATa2U- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- The "All Possible Paths" Myth [TOE]: https://youtu.be/XcY3ZtgYis0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-09-03
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Matthieu Pageau: Christian Symbolism, Heaven, Earth, Femininity, & Satan

In this episode Curt Jaimungal interviews Matthieu Pageau, author of The Language of Creation, exploring a symbolic grammar that casts heaven as a plan and earth as material. Pageau argues that Satan functions as a tester before becoming a villain, and he connects feminine concepts to renewal and the logic of Gödel's incompleteness. The conversation also examines biblical narratives from Job to Ruth through this symbolic lens.- 00:00 - Who Are You? (Identity as Relational vs. Self-Defined)- 04:54 - How Matthieu's Project Differs From His Brother's (Jonathan Pageau)- 10:25 - The God-Created Function of Satan vs. The Fallen Entity- 18:34 - Are Internal Critics "Functional Satanists"?- 23:02 - Satan in the Book of Job: The Divine Hacker- 27:50 - The Axioms of Reality: A Computer Scientist's Worldview- 32:08 - Heaven as "The Plan," Earth as "The Materials"- 36:50 - The Dual Nature of Chaos (Symbolism of Water)- 44:08 - Why Are Women Central to the Resurrection Story?- 49:14 - The Simple Act That Could Have Prevented "The Fall"- 52:18 - Godel's Incompleteness Theorem as the 'Feminine' Crown- 59:31 - Redeeming the Exiled: The Pattern of Ruth- 1:05:00 - A Christian in Exile: Matthieu's Spiritual Homelessness- 1:16:15 - How to Escape Metaphysical Exile- 1:21:44 - The Will to Power: When Criticism Becomes Corrupt- 1:26:53 - The Paradox: Why You MUST Believe Yours is 'The Real Church'- 1:34:25 - What 'Nature' Truly Means- 1:47:44 - Why Renewal, Updating, and Competition Are 'Feminine'- 1:55:10 - The Story of Tamar: Deception as Righteous Renewal- 2:01:00 - How to Read the Bible Symbolically- 2:09:51 - Why Symbolism Applies to Stories, Not Raw Data- 2:21:34 - The 'Dangerous' Vision That Birthed The Book- 2:31:31 - Mind vs. Spirit vs. Outlook (And The Final Paradox)RESOURCES:- https://www.economist.com/toe- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- The Language Of Creation [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Language-Creation-Symbolism-Genesis-Commentary/dp/1981549331/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0- Jonathan Pageau [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X3co_AA6yec- Wolfgang Smith [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vp18_L_y_30- Claudia de Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8- Leo Gura [TOE]: https://youtu.be/YspFR9JAq3w- The Story Of The Fall: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%203&version=NIV- The Most Abused Theorem In Math [TOE]: https://youtu.be/OH-ybecvuEo- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-08-28
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Frederic Schuller: The Physicist Who Derived Gravity From Electromagnetism

In this episode Frederic Schuller argues that gravity can be derived from electromagnetism by starting from the matter action and constructing compatible gravitational dynamics. He explores port?Hamiltonian methods, probability ports in quantum formalism, and the implications for causal structure and spacetime geometry.- 00:00 - Deriving Einstein from Maxwell Alone- 05:55 - Why Energy Doesn't Flow in Quantum Systems- 11:45 - How Modest Ideas Lead to Spacetime Revolution- 19:00 - Matter Dynamics Dictate Spacetime Geometry- 24:03 - Maxwell to Einstein-Hilbert Action- 31:00 - If Light Rays Split in Vacuum Then Einstein is Wrong- 38:04 - When Your Theory is Wrong- 46:10 - From Propositional Logic to Differential Geometry- 54:00 - Never Use Motivating Examples- 1:02:00 - Why Only Active Researchers Should Teach- 1:09:40 - High Demands as Greatest Motivator- 1:16:00 - Is Gravity a Force?- 1:27:00 - Academic Freedom vs Bureaucratic Science- 1:38:00 - Why String Theory Didn't Feel Right- 1:46:05 - Formal vs Conceptual Understanding- 1:54:10 - Master Any Subject: Check Every Equal Sign- 2:04:00 - The Drama of Blackboard Teaching- 2:13:15 - Why Physical Presence Matters in UniversitiesSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Frederic's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations- Frederic's Lectures: https://www.youtube.com/@FredericSchuller- Frederic's Bio: https://people.utwente.nl/f.p.schuller- General Relativity Lecture Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist- Quantum Harmonic Oscillator [Lecture]: https://youtu.be/s3I_MGfGm-w- Constructive Gravity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2003.09726- Geometry Of Manifolds [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0508170- Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- All Possible Paths [TOE]: https://youtu.be/XcY3ZtgYis0- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE- Space-Time Structure [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Time-Structure-Cambridge-Science-Classics/dp/0521315204- Greg Chaitin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PoEuav8G6sY- Ivette Fuentes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/cUj2TcZSlZc- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo- Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6Z_p3viqW1g- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- Sabine Hossenfelder [TOE]: https://youtu.be/E3y-Z0pgupg- Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- What Is Energy? [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hQk9GLZ0Fms- Claudia De Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-08-21
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Gerard ?t Hooft: The Nobel Laureate Who (Also) Says Quantum Theory Is "Totally Wrong"

In this episode Nobel laureate Gerard ?t Hooft argues that quantum mechanics is fundamentally wrong, describing the universe as a deterministic pinball machine without randomness. He explores superdeterminism, cellular automata, and the implications for black hole information and hidden variables.- 00:00 - Why Quantum Mechanics is Fundamentally Wrong- 05:00 - The Frustrating Blind Spots of Modern Physicists- 11:27 - The "Hidden Variables" That Truly Explain Reality- 17:00 - The "True" Equations of the Universe Will Have No Superposition- 23:00 - Our Universe as a Cellular Automaton- 30:02 - Why Real Numbers Don't Exist in Physics- 39:14 - Can This Radical Theory Even Be Falsified?- 46:29 - How Superdeterminism Defeats Bell's Theorem- 58:19 - 't Hooft's Radical View on Quantum Gravity- 1:08:24 - Solving the Black Hole Information Paradox with "Clones"- 1:14:00 - What YOU Would Experience Falling Into a Black Hole- 1:20:17 - How 't Hooft Almost Beat a Nobel Prize DiscoverySPONSORS:- YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4RESOURCES:- The Economist discount: https://www.economist.com/toe- Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Gerard?s site: https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~hooft101/- Gerard?s papers: https://inspirehep.net/authors/1019113- Cellular Automaton Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Cellular-Automaton-Interpretation-Mechanics-Fundamental/dp/3319823140- David Wallace [TOE]: https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM- Emily Adlam & Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/rw1ewLJUgOg- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Conway?s Game Of Life: https://playgameoflife.com/- Julian Barbour [TOE]: https://youtu.be/bprxrGaf0Os- Emily Adlam [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs- Sabine?s video on Gerard: https://youtu.be/2kxoq5UzAEQ- Sabine Hossenfelder [TOE]: https://youtu.be/E3y-Z0pgupg- Tim Palmer [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vlklA6jsS8A- Carlo Rovelli [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4- Bernardo Kastrup & Sabine Hossenfelder [TOE]: https://youtu.be/kJmBmopxc1k- Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss- Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/wrUvtqr4wOs- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- Claudia De Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE- Latham Boyle [TOE]: https://youtu.be/nyLeeEFKk04- David Kaiser [TOE]: https://youtu.be/_yebLXsIdwo- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- Birth of Asymptotic Freedom [Paper]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0550321385902068- How To Become A Good Theoretical Physicist [Article]: https://www.goodtheorist.science/index.html- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-08-12
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Felix Finster: Dirac's 90-Year-Old "Mistake" Unifies All of Physics

In this episode Curt Jaimungal talks with Professor Felix Finster about his causal fermion systems framework, a radical approach that builds spacetime and quantum physics from underlying correlations. The conversation covers the Dirac sea, emergence of geometry, the Born rule, and implications for quantum gravity and cosmology.- 00:00 - Introduction- 03:12 - The Origins of Causal Fermion Systems- 06:55 - Engaging with Alternative Theories in Physics- 15:22 - The Standard View of Causation- 18:21 - Classical, Quantum, and Pre-Quantum- 23:06 - How Spacetime Emerges from Disconnected Points- 29:49 - Recovering Lorentz Signature Without Assumptions - 31:48 - Recovering the Born Rule from First Principles - 39:39 - The Measurement Problem- 46:20 - Bounds on CSL Parameters- 49:45 - The Dynamics of Spacetime - 57:47 - Collaboration with Yao and Reflections on the Theory - 1:03:13 - A Quantum Gravity Theory Without Supersymmetry - 1:05:28 - The Dirac Sea- 1:11:40 - Addressing Infinite Energy in Semi-Classical Gravity- 1:13:09 - Octonions in the Vacuum Structure- 1:17:32 - Chirality and the Action Principle - 1:20:33 - Baryogenesis and Why Matter Exists- 1:35:10 - Rethinking the Strong CP and Hierarchy Problems- 1:38:43 - Recognition, Collaboration, and Growing Attention- 1:54:00 - Mathematical Criteria vs. Experimental Tests- 2:01:02 - Advice for Young ResearchersRESOURCES:- Felix's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=F7ppNroAAAAJ- Felix's Bio: https://www.uni-regensburg.de/mathematik/mathematik-1/startseite/index.html- Causal Fermion Systems [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2405.19254- Linear Dynamics of Wave Functions [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.08673- The Principle of the Fermionic Projector [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Principle-Fermionic-Projector-Advanced-Mathematics/dp/0821839748- Baryogensis for Causal Fermion Systems [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2111.05556- Holographic Mixing [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.18045- Standard Model Physics from an Algebra? [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1611.09182- Barry Loewer & Eddy Chen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0- Fay Dowker [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PgYHEPCLVas- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- David Kaiser [TOE]: https://youtu.be/_yebLXsIdwo- Ruth Kastner [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-BsHh3_vCMQ- Amanda Gefter [TOE]: https://youtu.be/yABPvDJ6Zgs- Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo- Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo- Emily Adlam [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs- Scott Aaronson & Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/5rbC3XZr9-c- The Economist discount: https://www.economist.com/toe- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Support on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- Support on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-07-29
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Elan Barenholtz ? William Hahn: The (Terrifying) Theory That Your Thoughts Were Never Your Own

Elan Barenholtz and William Hahn argue that language functions as a self?generating organism that writes its own software into our minds, shaping cognition and behavior. Drawing on large language models, autoregression, and cognitive science, they suggest memory, self and even concepts of God are merely informational tokens.- 00:00 - Introduction- 05:28 - The Nature of Autoregression- 10:14 - Memory and Cognition Redefined- 11:28 - The Role of Language Models- 14:23 - Exploring Consciousness and Software- 26:22 - The Evolution of Language- 38:08 - Language: A Cultural Artifact- 54:19 - The Power and Danger of Language- 1:02:52 - Embracing Uncertainty in Knowledge- 1:04:59 - Courage to Believe in Ideas- 1:09:30 - Support and Engagement with ContentSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount - https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Elan's Substack: https://elanbarenholtz.substack.com/- Elan's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2grAjZsAAAAJ&hl=en- William's Blog: https://hahn.ai/blog/index.html- Ekkolapto's Site: https://www.ekkolapto.org/- Andrés Emilsson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/BBP8WZpYp0Y- Elan Barenholtz [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY- Anna Ciaunica & Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA- William Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3fkg0uTA3qU- Michael Levin's Presentation [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Exdz2HKP7u0- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4- Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE- Ai Panel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/abzXzPBW4_s- Joscha Bach & Ben Goertzel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xw7omaQ8SgA- Noam Chomsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DQuiso493ro- Michael Levin Solo [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s- Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk- Joscha Bach [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3MNBxfrmfmI- Scott Aaronson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/gGsh0_-q7LI- Iain McGilchrist [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Q9sBKCd2HD0- The Master and His Emissary [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Master-His-Emissary-Divided-Western/dp/0300188374- Michael Levin & Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0yOV9Pzk2zw- Shape Rotators vs Wordcels [Article]: https://sasamilic.medium.com/some-thoughts-on-the-shape-rotator-vs-worcel-meme-f320261a21cd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-07-22
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Nikita Nekrasov: Why Physicists Say We Don't Understand Quantum Field Theory

In this episode I talk with Professor Nikita Nekrasov about why quantum field theory remains elusive despite its experimental triumphs. We explore his solution to the Cyberg?Witten puzzle, the Nekrasov partition function, and the role of exotic four?dimensional structures in the chemistry of life.- 00:00 - Introduction- 01:13 - Understanding Quantum Field Theory- 04:38 - The Journey to Gauge Origami- 06:53 - The Story of the Microsoft Partition Function- 19:12 - Connecting Quantum Mechanics and Field Theory- 36:43 - The Nature of Instantons- 45:05 - Exotic R4 and Its Implications- 49:01 - Dealing with Non-Compactness- 52:25 - The Emergence of Non-Commutative Geometry- 1:04:29 - Lessons from Mentors- 1:20:11 - Language as a Dynamic System- 1:22:35 - The Concept of Gauge Origami- 1:30:48 - Insights from Collaboration with Peers- 1:37:15 - Aspirations for Future Work- 1:38:15 - Advice for Aspiring ResearchersSPONSORS:- The Economist (20% off): https://www.economist.com/toe- YouTube Membership (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4RESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Nikita?s Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bKV59LwAAAAJ&hl=en- Nikita?s Lecture: https://scgp.stonybrook.edu/archives/44062- Two Dimensional Gauge Theories [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/9204083- Richard Borcherds [TOE]: https://youtu.be/U3pQWkE2KqM- Edward Frenkel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/n_oPMcvHbAc- Edward Frenkel?s Presentation [TOE]: https://youtu.be/RX1tZv_Nv4Y- Edward Frenkel?s Presentation [Part 2]: https://youtu.be/0AC-Ol1z5vI- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Cumrun Vafa [TOE]: https://youtu.be/kUHOoMX4Bqw- Garrett Lisi [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z7ulJmfFvd8- Chiara Marletto [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Uey_mUy1vN0- Debunking "All Possible Paths" [TOE]: https://youtu.be/XcY3ZtgYis0- Peter Woit [TOE]: https://youtu.be/TTSeqsCgxj8- Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- Seiberg-Witten Prepotential from Instanton Counting [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0206161- Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo- Leptons and Quarks [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/LEPTONS-QUARKS-SPECIAL-COMMEMORATING-DISCOVERY/dp/9814603007- Brian Greene [TOE]: https://youtu.be/O2EtTE9Czzo- David Wallace [TOE]: https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM- Jenann Ismael [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7kvXihDAOi0- Claudia de Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hNPMKy6RxCE- Yang-Mills [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.19097 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-07-14
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Jenann Ismael: The Physicist Who Proved Free Will Using Thermodynamics

Physicist and philosopher Jenann Ismael argues that free will is a physical reality grounded in thermodynamics and relativity. She explains why no system, not even a perfect computer, can predict its own future, and how this unpredictability underpins genuine agency.- 00:00 - Introduction- 01:42 - Free Will- 29:16 - The Limits of Predictability- 41:45 - Defining Free Will- 59:42 - Life and Cognition in the Universe- 1:05:30 - The Choices We Make- 1:08:01 - Dark Nights of the Soul- 1:09:35 - Philosophical Responses to Free Will- 1:11:03 - Personal Reflections on Life- 1:11:54 - The Weight of Loss- 1:13:40 - Patterns of Persistence- 1:17:17 - Understanding the Self- 1:18:41 - The Continuity of Existence- 1:20:17 - The Nature of Mortality- 1:22:27 - Time and Its Mysteries- 1:51:42 - The Nature of Existence- 2:04:23 - The Paradox of Newcomb's Dilemma- 2:08:38 - Lessons Learned from SufferingSPONSORS:- The Economist: https://www.economist.com/toe- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Coinbase: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/joinRESOURCES:- How Physics Makes Us Free [Book]: https://amzn.to/44CcHr8- Why Physics Should Care About The Mind [Paper]: https://www.jenanni.com/wp-content/uploads/Why-physics-should-care-about-the-mind-and-how-to-think-about-it-without-worrying-about-the-mind-body-problem.pdf- Diana Pasulka [TOE]: https://youtu.be/E5MuTHUbMUs- Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- Sean Carroll [TOE]: https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo- Matt Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM- Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss- David Lewis?s Metaphysics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lewis-metaphysics/#Bib- Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8- David Lewis?s Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APAW62- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4- Roy Baumeister [TOE]: https://youtu.be/aXoK-C2c2AQ- Free Will Ontoprism [TOE]: https://youtu.be/SSbUCEleJhg- Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s- Dark Night Of The Soul: https://basilica.ca/documents/2016/10/St.%20John%20of%20the%20Cross-Dark%20night%20of%20the%20soul.pdf- George Musser [TOE]: https://youtu.be/KVy3NeXpMaI- Tim Maudlin & Tim Palmer [TOE]: https://youtu.be/883R3JlZHXE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-07-11
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Eva Miranda: Brand New Result Proving Penrose & Tao's Uncomputability in Physics!

Mathematician Eva Miranda reveals a new proof that fluid motion can be Turing?complete, making certain fluid paths undecidable. The episode explores the consequences for chaos theory, the Navier?Stokes equations and the long?standing ideas of Penrose and Tao.- 00:00 - Introduction- 01:10 - Expect the Unexpected- 02:52 - Stories of Uncertainty- 04:45 - The Impact of Alan Turing- 06:35 - The Halting Problem Explained- 09:29 - Limits of Mathematical Knowledge- 12:40 - From Certainty to Uncertainty- 16:19 - The Rubber Duck Phenomenon- 19:29 - Unpredictability vs. Undecidability- 20:18 - Classical Chaos and the Butterfly Effect- 27:12 - Asteroids and Chaos Theory- 34:32 - The Navier-Stokes Riddle- 41:18 - The Cantor Set and Computation- 46:18 - Bridging Discrete and Continuous- 49:21 - Turing Completeness in Fluid Dynamics- 1:02:39 - The Quest for Navier-Stokes Solutions- 1:06:53 - The Role of Viscosity- 1:12:09 - Hybrid Computers and Fluid Dynamics- 1:26:57 - Unpredictability in Deterministic Systems- 1:31:44 - The Future of Computational ModelsSPONSORS:- The Economist: https://www.economist.com/toe- YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Coinbase (Crypto): https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4RESOURCES:- Eva's First Appearance [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo- Moby Duck [Book]: https://amzn.to/4ldoYsZ- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- The Emperor's New Mind [Book]: https://amzn.to/44jHpGK- Edward Frenkel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/RX1tZv_Nv4Y- Richard Borcherds [TOE]: https://youtu.be/U3pQWkE2KqM- Clay Mathematics Institute: https://www.claymath.org/- Eva's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=werIoRQAAAAJ&hl=en- Topological Kleene Field Theories [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2503.16100- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4- My Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-07-07
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Jacob Barandes: The Mathematical Accident That Changes Everything

Jacob Barandes challenges a hidden assumption in quantum theory, linking classical probability to quantum mechanics through a so?called mathematical accident. The episode explores how this view reshapes Bell?s theorem, the measurement problem, and offers a realist path forward for quantum physics.- 00:00 - Introduction- 01:02 - Non-locality & Local Realism- 13:58 - Quantum Theory- 20:45 - Copenhagen Interpretation- 28:11 - Many Worlds Interpretation- 34:54 - Creating Indivisible Stochastic Process- 50:59 - Indivisible Stochastic Process- 1:01:46 - Teaching Black Holes to Graduate Students- 1:04:59 - Coordinate Systems in Space-Time- 1:06:58 - Teaching Black Hole Coordinates- 1:10:11 - Insights from Nima- 1:13:41 - Nima's Course on Quantum Mechanics- 1:16:22 - Quantum Foundations and Cosmology- 1:18:48 - Transitioning to Quantum Gravity- 1:23:10 - Philosophy's Role in Physics- 1:26:10 - Leaving String Theory- 1:33:39 - Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics- 1:37:02 - Challenges of String Theory- 1:42:49 - Quantum Field Theory Insights- 1:50:30 - Foundations of Quantum Field Theory- 1:53:47 - Particle Existence Between Measurements- 1:59:44 - Speculations on Quantum Gravity- 2:01:41 - Legacy and ContributionsSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount - https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Press release of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics: https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2022/10/press-physicsprize2022-2.pdf- Eddy Chen & Barry Loewer on TOE: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0- Jacob Barandes on TOE (part 1): https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo- Tim Maudlin on TOE: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss- What Is Real? (book): https://www.amazon.com/What-Real-Unfinished-Meaning-Quantum/dp/0465096050- David Wallace on TOE: https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM- The Copenhagen Interpretation: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm-copenhagen/- Bohmian Mechanics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm-bohm/- Everettian Quantum Mechanics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qm-everett/- Jacob Barandes on TOE (part 2): https://youtu.be/YaS1usLeXQM- Jacob Barandes on TOE (part 3): https://youtu.be/wrUvtqr4wOs- The sky is blue (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2205.00568- The Emergent Universe (book): https://www.amazon.com/Emergent-Multiverse-Quantum-according-Interpretation/dp/0198707541- Complex Coordinates and Quantum Mechanics (paper): https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.38.36- Kurt Vonnegut's lecture: https://youtu.be/4_RUgnC1lm8- Max Born's memoir: https://archive.org/details/myliferecollecti0000born/page/n5/mode/2up- Hugh Everett's unpublished dissertation: https://ia801909.us.archive.org/20/items/TheTheoryOfTheUniversalWaveFunction/The%20Theory%20of%20the%20Universal%20Wave%20Function.pdf- La nouvelle cuisine (paper): https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/speakable-and-unspeakable-in-quantum-mechanics/la-nouvelle-cuisine/6FFC85D84585D9C41AA4A1185BF5290E- https://curtjaimungal.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-07-01
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John Norton: The 300-Year-Old Physics Mistake No One Noticed

Professor John Norton dismantles long?standing assumptions in physics, from Newtonian determinism to the myth of Landauer?s principle. He argues that causation may be illusory, explores the breakdown of classical physics, and shows why even Einstein got things wrong.- 00:00 - Introduction- 03:37 - Norton's Dome Explained- 06:30 - The Misunderstanding of Determinism- 09:31 - Thermodynamics and Infinite Systems- 14:39 - Implications for Quantum Mechanics- 16:20 - Revisiting Causation- 18:15 - Critique of Causal Metaphysics- 20:21 - The Utility of Causal Language- 24:58 - Exploring Thought Experiments- 33:05 - Landauer's Principle Discussion- 49:48 - Critique of Experimental Validation- 52:25 - Consequences for Maxwell's Demon- 1:13:34 - Einstein's Critiques of Quantum Mechanics- 1:28:16 - The Nature of Scientific Discovery- 1:42:56 - Inductive Inferences in ScienceSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount. https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- A Primer on Determinism (book): https://amzn.to/45Jn3b4- John Norton?s papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UDteMFoAAAAJ- Causation as Folk Science (paper): https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/003004.pdf- Lipschitz continuity (wiki): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipschitz_continuity- The Dome: An Unexpectedly Simple Failure of Determinism (paper): https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/2943/1/Norton.pdf- Norton?s Dome (wiki): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton%27s_dome- Approximation and Idealization (paper): https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/Ideal_Approx_final.pdf- On the Quantum Theory of Radiation (paper): https://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/einstein/1917_Radiation.pdf- Making Things Happen (book): https://ccc.inaoep.mx/~esucar/Clases-mgc/Making-Things-Happen-A-Theory-of-Causal-Explanation.pdf- Causation in Physics (wiki): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/causation-physics/- Laboratory of the Mind (paper): https://www.academia.edu/2644953/REVIEW_James_R_Brown_Laboratory_of_the_Mind- Roger Penrose on TOE: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Ted Jacobson on TOE: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- The Thermodynamics of Computation (paper): https://sites.cc.gatech.edu/computing/nano/documents/Bennett%20-%20The%20Thermodynamics%20Of%20Computation.pdf- What's Actually Possible? (article): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-unexamined-in-principle- On a Decrease of Entropy in a Thermodynamic System (paper): https://fab.cba.mit.edu/classes/862.22/notes/computation/Szilard-1929.pdf- Landauer's principle and thermodynamics (article): https://www.nature.com/articles/nature10872- The Logical Inconsistency of Old Quantum Theory of Black Body Radiation (paper): https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/Inconsistency_OQT.pdf- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-06-27
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Jacob Barandes ? Emily Adlam: Top Physicists Call Out Many Worlds As Nonsense

Emily Adlam and Jacob Barandes deliver a forceful critique of the Many?Worlds Interpretation, arguing that it remains a philosophical fantasy without testable predictions or empirical grounding. The conversation also explores self?identity, consciousness, and the role of probability in quantum theory, challenging common assumptions about parallel universes.- 00:00 - Introduction- 01:08 - Philosophical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics- 3:22 - The Nature of Self-Identity- 10:59 - Exploring Branching Universes- 12:54 - Collaboration Between Physicists and Philosophers- 16:51 - Understanding Probability and Credence- 29:12 - The Role of Indexicals in Consciousness- 36:36 - Causation and Its Implications- 45:45 - Disagreement on Personal Identity- 51:03 - The Hard Problem of Consciousness- 1:00:35 - Reflections on Conscious Experience- 1:08:05 - Concluding Thoughts on Mind and Identity- 1:08:48 - Time and Mind- 1:09:09 - The Concept of the World Line- 1:14:43 - Active Consciousness and Agency- 1:19:12 - The Hard Problem of Consciousness- 1:36:15 - Emergence in Physics- 1:55:46 - Speculation vs. Rigorous Argument- 2:06:13 - Philosophy's Contribution to Physics- 2:12:43 - Bridging Philosophy and PhysicsRESOURCES:- https://DrinkLMNT.com/THEORIES- https://www.economist.com/toe- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Watch on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Emily?s first appearance on TOE: https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs- Emily?s profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Emily-Adlam- Jacob?s first appearance on TOE: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo- Jacob?s website: https://www.jacobbarandes.com/- Jacob Barandes on TOE: https://youtu.be/YaS1usLeXQM- Against Self-Location (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.05259- Eddy Chen & Barry Loewer on TOE: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0- Julian Barbour on TOE: https://youtu.be/bprxrGaf0Os- Robert Sapolsky on TOE: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8- Curt?s Consciousness Iceberg: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk- Iain McGilchrist on TOE: https://youtu.be/Q9sBKCd2HD0- Stories of Your Life and Others (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1101972122- Matt Segall on TOE: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM- TOE?s Free Will compilation: https://youtu.be/SSbUCEleJhg- Manolis Kellis & Jacob Barandes debate: https://youtu.be/MTD8xkbiGis- ?The Incompatibility of Free Will and Determinism? (paper): https://iweb.langara.ca/rjohns/files/2013/01/van_inwagen.pdf- After Physics (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/067497087X- Michael Levin on TOE: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-06-25
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Barry Loewer ? Eddy Chen: The God Crutch: Do The Laws of Physics Exist?

Barry Loewer and Eddy Chen debate whether the laws of physics are mind?independent constraints or human?made descriptions, weaving metaphysics, causation, and probability into a lively discussion. The conversation spans from the nature of reality to free will, quantum mechanics, and the role of scientific laws.- 00:00 - The Nature of Physical Reality- 42:28 - The Circularity of Scientific Understanding- 1:05:44 - Reality Explored- 1:08:28 - Describing Human Experience- 1:10:10 - The Role of Science- 1:10:58 - Understanding Motion and Laws- 1:12:19 - The Nature of Laws- 1:14:55 - Possible Worlds in Philosophy- 1:18:05 - Configuration Space Debate- 1:21:10 - Quantum Mechanics and Reality- 1:22:50 - Metaphysical Necessity- 1:27:13 - The Nature of Free Will- 1:30:14 - Bridging Philosophy and Science- 1:32:05 - Constraints and Freedom- 1:34:57 - Philosophical Disputes- 1:39:08 - The Journey of Learning- 2:05:16 - Teaching and Learning Dynamics- 2:07:23 - Closing ReflectionsSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount - https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Barry?s published papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=n_RTOwO00oEC&hl=en- Eddy?s published papers: https://arxiv.org/a/chen_e_1.html- Neil Turok on TOE: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE- Greg Chaitin on TOE: https://youtu.be/zMPnrNL3zsE- Leonard Susskind on TOE: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- Emily Adlam on TOE: https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs- Laws of Nature and Chances (book): https://www.amazon.com/Laws-Nature-Chances-Breathes-Equations/dp/0198907699- Laws of Physics (book): https://www.amazon.com/Laws-Physics-Elements-Philosophy/dp/100901272X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1CHA72RYFUOI8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OjkhTXRzZw_SWTMFZp8dUtREsTxacKuwg03AsLUUp6qLCuygS74CtEgujWl7wMvVEt-ErFEz-CfFLiiXTmuUCwKq0TW4WLFIA3DIhDNVaV4.gRuqaZldjUa8Kv_j1ew-CfZGQqtdt00X55fyMZ9NGD4&dib_tag=se&keywords=eddy+chen&qid=1749667626&s=books&sprefix=eddy+chen%2Cstripbooks%2C128&sr=1-1- On the Plurality of Worlds (book): https://www.amazon.com/Plurality-Worlds-David-K-Lewis/dp/0631224262- Tim Maudlin on TOE: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss- Tim Maudlin and Tim Palmer on TOE: https://youtu.be/883R3JlZHXE- How Physics Makes Us Free (book): https://www.amazon.com/How-Physics-Makes-Us-Free/dp/0190269448- From Time Asymmetry to Quantum Entanglement (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2006.05029- Jacob Barandes on TOE: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo- Realism with a Human Face (book): https://www.amazon.com/Realism-Human-Face-Hilary-Putnam/dp/0674749456- Causation and Laws of Nature in Early Modern Philosophy (book): https://www.amazon.com/Causation-Nature-Early-Modern-Philosophy/dp/0199664684/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0- The Maniac (book): https://www.amazon.com/MANIAC-Benjamin-Labatut/dp/0593654471- When We Cease to Understand the World (book): https://www.amazon.com/When-We-Cease-Understand-World/dp/1681375664- Eddy?s paper on time and nature: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2109.09226- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-06-17
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Elan Barenholtz: The Theory That Shatters Language Itself

Elan Barenholtz, a cognitive scientist at Florida Atlantic University, argues that language functions as an autonomous, autoregressive system disconnected from the external world. He explores how AI?s meaning?free mastery of language challenges our assumptions about mind, perception, and reality.- 00:00 - The Mind and Language Connection- 02:09 - The Grounded Thesis of Language- 09:29 - The Epiphany of Language- 13:06 - The Dichotomy of Language and Perception- 16:24 - Language as an Autonomous System- 19:48 - The Problem of Qualia and Language- 23:35 - Bridging Language and Action- 31:32 - Exploring Embeddings in Language- 38:21 - The Platonic Space of Language- 44:17 - The Challenges of Meaning and Action- 51:05 - Understanding the Complexity of Color- 52:53 - The Paradox of Language Describing Itself- 58:19 - The Map of Language and Action- 1:07:48 - Continuous Learning in Language Models- 1:11:46 - The Nature of Memory- 1:22:46 - The Role of Context- 1:32:18 - Exploring Language Dynamics- 1:39:44 - The Shift from Oral to Written Language- 2:11:34 - Language and the Cosmic Whole- 2:21:35 - Reflections on ExistenceSPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount - https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Elan's Substack: https://elanbarenholtz.substack.com- Elan's X / Twitter: https://x.com/ebarenholtz- Geoffrey Hinton on TOE: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE- Joscha Bach and Ben Goertzel on TOE: https://youtu.be/xw7omaQ8SgA- Elan's published papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2grAjZsAAAAJ- Ai medical panel on TOE: https://youtu.be/abzXzPBW4_s- Jacob Barandes and Manolis Kellis on TOE: https://youtu.be/MTD8xkbiGis- Will Hahn on TOE: https://youtu.be/3fkg0uTA3qU- Noam Chomsky on TOE: https://youtu.be/DQuiso493ro- Greg Kondrak on TOE: https://youtu.be/FFW14zSYiFY- Andres Emilsson on TOE: https://youtu.be/BBP8WZpYp0Y- Harnessing the Universal Geometry of Embeddings (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2505.12540- Yang-Hui He on TOE: https://youtu.be/spIquD_mBFk- Iain McGilchrist on TOE: https://youtu.be/Q9sBKCd2HD0- Curt interviews ChatGPT: https://youtu.be/mSfChbMRJwY- Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0674251555- Karl Friston on TOE: https://youtu.be/uk4NZorRjCo- Michael Levin and Anna Ciaunica on TOE: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA- The Biology of LLMs (paper): https://transformer-circuits.pub/2025/attribution-graphs/biology.html- Jacob Barandes on TOE: https://youtu.be/YaS1usLeXQM- Emily Adlam on TOE: https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs- Julian Barbour on TOE: https://youtu.be/bprxrGaf0Os- Tim Palmer on TOE: https://youtu.be/vlklA6jsS8A- Neil Turok on TOE: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE- Jayar??i Bha??a: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/jayaraasi/- On the Origin of Time (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593128443 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-06-13
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Curt Jaimungal (Me): What is ?Energy,? Actually?

In this episode Curt Jaimungal challenges the conventional notion of energy, arguing that it is not even a well?defined concept despite common claims of its conservation. He builds on Veritasium?s critique and explores the philosophical and scientific implications of redefining energy.SPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount - https://www.economist.com/toe- YouTube Membership: early access videos - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Coinbase: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4RESOURCES:- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-06-06
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Eric Weinstein: Geometric Unity - 40 Years in the Making

In this rare, unscripted conversation Eric Weinstein reveals the core of his Geometric Unity theory, discussing dark matter, missing generations, peer review, and the potential impact of GU. He also explores philosophical implications, quantum?classical relationships, and the challenges of communicating his ideas.- 00:00 - Intro- 06:50 - Simplifying GU- 07:58 - Philosophical Implications- 11:24 - Quantum vs Classical- 14:15 - Generations Role- 27:58 - Restricted Data- 32:30 - Clear Communication- 36:59 - Explaining GU Challenges- 38:14 - Recognizing Contributions- 49:34 - Seiberg-Witten Story- 1:06:12 - Critical View of Modern Physics- 1:11:59 - Criteria for Valid Theories- 1:14:32 - Quantization Challenge- 1:21:00 - Non-Positive Killing Forms- 1:26:33 - Steelmanning Importance- 1:32:11 - Understanding GU- 1:36:09 - Supersymmetry Nature- 1:37:30 - Supersymmetry Misunderstandings- 1:46:30 - Honoring Contributions- 1:53:06 - Peer Review Injustice- 1:56:33 - Struggle for Recognition- 2:06:02 - Academic Critique- 2:06:51 - Communicating GU Challenge- 2:23:05 - Reactions in Academia- 2:52:57 - Future of GU Discussions- 2:58:49 - Reflections on GU JourneySPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount for TOE listeners https://www.economist.com/toe- Curt Jaimungal Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.comRESOURCES:- Curt explains Eric's Geometric Unity theory: https://youtu.be/AThFAxF7Mgw- Eric's Oxford lecture on Geometric Unity: https://youtu.be/Z7rd04KzLcg- Garrett Lisi discusses his theory of everything on TOE: https://youtu.be/z7ulJmfFvd8- Peter Woit discusses unification on TOE: https://youtu.be/9z3JYb_g2Qs- Stephen Wolfram discusses observers on TOE: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4- Richard Behiel's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RichBehiel/videos- Curt criticizes the idea of "explain like I'm 5": https://youtu.be/eASBzSNB8ts- Eric's first appearance on TOE: https://youtu.be/KElq_MLO1kw- Eva Miranda discusses geometric quantization on TOE: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo- Edward Frankel discusses the Geometric Langlands Correspondence on TOE: https://youtu.be/RX1tZv_Nv4Y- Emily Riehl discusses infinity categories on TOE: https://youtu.be/mTwvecBthpQ- Gregory Chaitin discusses the halt of scientific innovation on TOE: https://youtu.be/guQIkV6yCik- Curt criticizes Gödel's incompleteness theorem pop sci on TOE: https://youtu.be/OH-ybecvuEo- Curt debunks the "all possible paths" myth: https://youtu.be/XcY3ZtgYis0- Sean Carroll discusses the crisis in fundamental physics on TOE: https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo- Amanda Gefter discusses quantum mechanics on TOE: https://youtu.be/yABPvDJ6Zgs- Lee Cronin discusses Terrence Howard on TOE: https://youtu.be/8xAYf7tYrNk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-06-03
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David Wallace: The Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics

Philosopher of physics David Wallace unpacks the Everett (Many?Worlds) interpretation, tackling common misconceptions, probability, emergence and personal identity across multiple worlds. He also examines the Born rule, the direction of time and the role of consciousness in physics.- 00:00 - Misconceptions About Physics- 01:27 - Simplicity in Physics- 4:48 - Understanding Quantum Mechanics- 7:27 - Mysteries of Large-Scale Physics- 9:53 - The Nature of Time- 13:19 - Boundary Conditions in Physics- 15:04 - Models of Physics- 16:56 - Canonical vs Covariant Quantization- 21:10 - Theories of Gravity- 28:22 - Everettian Quantum Mechanics- 30:11 - Misconceptions in Many Worlds Theory- 47:52 - Decision Theory in Quantum Mechanics- 57:58 - The Deutsch-Wallace Theorem- 1:14:47 - The Nature of Fundamental Physics- 1:18:40 - Personal Identity in Many Worlds- 1:27:14 - Exploring Emergence- 1:33:19 - Thoughts on Consciousness- 1:35:09 - Disagreements with David Deutsch- 1:39:18 - Understanding Real Patterns- 1:54:02 - The Relevance-Limiting Thesis- 2:00:54 - Advice for Young ResearchersSPONSORS:- Huel: 15% OFF + Free Gift with code theoriesofeverything - https://huel.com/theoriesofeverything- The Economist: 20% off for TOE listeners - https://www.economist.com/toeRESOURCES:- The Emergent Multiverse (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198707541- David Wallace?s published papers: https://philpeople.org/profiles/david-wallace/publications- Stating Structural Realism (paper): https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/20048/1/semantic.pdf- David?s reading resources: https://sites.pitt.edu/~dmw121/resources.html- The Quantization of Gravity (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/0004005- Ted Jacobson discusses entropy on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mhctWlXyV8- Curt debunks the "all possible paths" myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY3ZtgYis0- Julian Barbour discusses time on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-bImnQ9cmw- TOE?s String Theory Iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4PdPnQuwjY- Bryce DeWitt?s published papers: https://journals.aps.org/search/results?clauses=%5B%7B%22operator%22%3A%22AND%22%2C%22field%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22value%22%3A%22Bryce+S+DeWitt%22%7D%5D- Carlo Rovelli discusses loop quantum gravity on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4SAketEHY- Avshalom Elitzur discusses spacetime on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWRAaimQT1E- Sean Carroll discusses the physics community on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AoRxtYZrZo- Ruth Kastner discusses retrocausality on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BsHh3_vCMQ- Simon Saunders's talk on Many Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gM-sgmCUik- Jacob Barandes discusses quantum mechanics on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWip00iXbo- Jacob Barandes discusses philosophy in physics on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaS1usLeXQM- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-05-29
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Yang-Hue Hi: The AI Math That Left Number Theorists Speechless

In this episode Professor Yang?Hue Hi explores how AI is reshaping pure mathematics, from the murmuration conjecture to breakthroughs on the Riemann Hypothesis. We examine the changing research landscape, the role of intuition, and what a future where machines generate discoveries faster than humans might look like.- 00:00 - Introduction- 01:34 - Changing Landscape- 03:30 - ML Categories- 06:53 - Researchers: Birds vs Hedgehogs- 09:36 - Personal Experiences- 11:44 - Future Role of Academics- 14:08 - AI Mathematician Presentation- 16:14 - Intuition in Discovery- 18:00 - AI Assistance in Vague Problems- 18:48 - Newton and AI- 20:59 - Literature Processing- 24:34 - Acknowledging Modern Mathematicians- 26:54 - Data Influence- 30:22 - Riemann Hypothesis Implications- 31:55 - BST Conjecture and Data- 33:29 - Collaborations and Limits- 36:04 - Future of Math and AI- 38:31 - Image Processing and Intuition- 41:57 - Visual Thinking- 49:24 - AI?Assisted Discovery- 51:34 - Murmuration Conjecture Interaction- 57:05 - Hierarchies of Difficulty- 58:43 - Memoration Breakthrough- 1:00:28 - Understanding BSD Conjecture- 1:01:45 - Diophantine Equations- 1:03:39 - Cubic Complexity- 1:19:03 - Neural Networks Predictions- 1:21:36 - Breaking the Birch Test- 1:24:44 - BSD Conjecture Clarified- 1:26:21 - AI Role in Discovery- 1:30:29 - Memoration Phenomenon- 1:32:59 - PCA Analysis- 1:35:50 - Emergence of Memoration- 1:38:35 - Conjectures and AI- 1:41:29 - Generalizing Biases- 1:44:55 - Future of AI in Math- 1:49:28 - Brave New World of DiscoveryRESOURCES:- Topology and Physics (book): https://amzn.to/3ZoneEn- Machine Learning in Pure Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (book): https://amzn.to/4k8SXC6- The Calabi?Yau Landscape (book): https://amzn.to/43DO7H0- Yang?Hui?s bio and published papers: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yang-Hui-He- A Triumvirate of AI?Driven Theoretical Discovery (paper): https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.19973- Edward Frenkel explains the Geometric Langlands Correspondence on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX1tZv_Nv4Y- Stone Duality (Wiki): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_duality- Summer of Math Exposition: https://some.3b1b.co/- Machine Learning meets Number Theory: The Data Science of Birch?Swinnerton?Dyer (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1911.02008- The L?functions and modular forms database: https://www.lmfdb.org/- Epoch AI FrontierMath: https://epoch.ai/frontiermath/the-benchmark- Mathematical Beauty (article): https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematical-beauty-truth-and-proof-in-the-age-of-ai-20250430/- https://cell.ver.so/TOE- https://www.economist.com/toe- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9- PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-05-23
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Curt Jaimungal (Me): "Explain it to me like I'm five..." okie dokie

We examine the common claim that you must be able to explain a concept to a five?year?old to truly understand it, arguing that the idea can be misleading and even harmful. The episode explores why some truths resist simplification and shows what genuine understanding looks like for deep learners and teachers.SPONSORS:- The Economist (20% off): https://www.economist.com/toe- Curt's Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Spotify (listen): https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE- YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqsRESOURCES:- Algebraic Topology (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521795400- Topology and Geometry (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0387979263- Language isnt just "low resolution communication" (Substack): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/language-isnt-just-low-resolution- Non-analytic smooth function: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-analytic_smooth_function- Emily Riehl on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTwvecBthpQ- Neil deGrasse Tyson on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhWWlJFwTqs- Curt debunking the "all possible paths" myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY3ZtgYis0- What does it mean to explore the "ill-defined"? (Substack): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/what-does-it-mean-to-explore-the Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-05-15
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David Kaiser: MIT Physicist - These Black Holes Are Older Than the Universe

MIT physicist and historian David Kaiser examines primordial black holes, exploring how they might explain dark matter and connect to cosmic inflation. He discusses their potential impact on our understanding of the early universe, linking quantum theory, cosmology, and the history of physics.- 00:00 - What Are Primordial Black Holes?- 01:41 - Could They Be Dark Matter?- 05:21 - Kaiser?s Academic Journey- 10:56 - Studying Physics and Its History- 11:57 - Cosmic Inflation Basics- 15:31 - Direct Collapse vs. Stellar Collapse- 25:14 - Bell?s Theorem Explained- 38:32 - Quasars and the Cosmic Bell Test- 43:04 - High-Precision Astronomy- 47:38 - Learning Curves & Interdisciplinary Research- 48:17 - Scalar Fields and Inflation Models- 55:05 - Black Hole Formation from Inflation- 58:41 - Black Hole Mass as a Cosmic Clock- 1:02:50 - Quark-Gluon Plasma & Color Charge- 1:08:46 - Critical Collapse and Mass Spread- 1:11:34 - Charged Primordial Black Holes- 1:13:54 - Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Implications- 1:20:14 - Detecting Black Holes Locally- 1:23:51 - Tracking Planetary Wobbles- 1:26:04 - Hawking Radiation & Positron Signatures- 1:30:06 - Why Track Mars, Not Earth?SPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount. https://www.economist.com/toe- Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE- YouTube Membership (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/joinRESOURCES:- David Kaiser's published papers: https://arxiv.org/a/kaiser_d_1.html- Bell, J. S. "On the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox" (1964): https://cds.cern.ch/record/111654/files/vol1p195-200_001.pdf- "Ultra-High-Energy Neutrinos from Primordial Black Holes" (2025): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19227- "Cosmic Bell Test Using Random Measurement Settings from High-Redshift Quasars" (2018): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1808.05966- "Close Encounters of the Primordial Kind" (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2312.17217- "Primordial Black Holes from Multifield Inflation with Non-minimal Couplings" (2022): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2205.04471- "Testing Bell's Inequality with Cosmic Photons" (2013): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1310.3288- "Planck Constraints & Gravitational-Wave Forecasts for PBH Dark Matter Seeded by Multifield Inflation" (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2303.02168- "Light Scalar Fields Foster Production of Primordial Black Holes" (2025): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.13251- "Debye Screening of Non-Abelian Plasmas in Curved Spacetimes" (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2309.15385- "Primordial Black Holes with QCD Color Charge" (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2310.16877- A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553380168- In Search of Schrödinger's Cat - John Gribbin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553342533- How the Hippies Saved Physics - David Kaiser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/039334231X- Drawing Theories Apart - David Kaiser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Y5W2X2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-05-12
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Curt Jaimungal (Me): Demystifying Gödel's Theorem - What It Actually Says

Gödel?s incompleteness theorem is often misrepresented in popular science. In this episode we cut through the hype, correcting misconceptions from figures like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Veritasium, Michio Kaku, and Deepak Chopra, and explain exactly what Gödel proved and what he did not.SPONSORS:- The Economist: 20% off discount, https://www.economist.com/toe- Curt?s Substack: personal writings, https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Spotify: listen here, https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE- YouTube Membership: early access videos, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Patreon: support the show, https://patreon.com/curtjaimungalRESOURCES:- Scott Aaronson | How Much Math Is Knowable?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VplMHWSZf5c- The Consistency of the Axiom of Choice and of the Generalized Continuum-Hypothesis (paper): https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.24.12.556- The Gettier Problem: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/knowledge-analysis/#GettProb- Jennifer Nagel on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWZVMZ9Tm7Q- Gödel?s First Incompleteness Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Formally_Undecidable_Propositions_of_Principia_Mathematica_and_Related_Systems- Roger Penrose on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGm505TFMbU- Curt talks with Penrose for IAI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQM0OtxvZ-Y- Bertrand Russell?s Comments: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Russell,_Whitehead_-_Principia_Mathematica,_vol._I,_1910.djvu/84- Gregory Chaitin on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMPnrNL3zsE- Chaitin on the ?Rise and Fall of Academia?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoEuav8G6sY- Curt and Neil Tyson Debate Physics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9OkJih3-U- Gödel?s Completeness Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del%27s_completeness_theorem- Latham Boyle on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyLeeEFKk04- Gabriele Carcassi on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ7CaQX8EI- Gabriele Carcassi?s YouTube Channel (Live): https://www.youtube.com/@AssumptionsofPhysicsResearch- Robinson Arithmetic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson_arithmetic- Algorithmic Information Theory (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521616042- The Paris-Harrington Theorem: https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Paris-HarringtonTheorem.html- Curt?s Substack: The Mathematics of Self: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-mathematics-of-self-why-you-can- The Church-Turing Thesis: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/church-turing/- Curt?s Substack: The Most Profound Theorem in Logic You Haven't Heard Of: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/infinity-its-many-models-and-lowenheim- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025-05-05
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