
Edward Frenkel: Infinity, String Theory, Death, The Self
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
Philosophy Meets Mathematics
This chapter explores the interplay between philosophical concepts and mathematical thinking, contrasting ancient Greek beliefs with modern educational approaches. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of virtues in mathematics and advocates for a more inclusive perspective that blends creativity with analytical rigor.
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_oPMcvHbAc
Math professor Edward Frenkel discusses his work on string theory & the Langlands Program while reflecting on the profound themes of infinity, death, and trauma.
- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal (early access to ad-free audio episodes!)
- Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE
- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs
BOOKS MENTIONED:
- Love and Math (Edward Frenkel): https://amzn.to/3ZiXyI1
- From Mathematics to Philosophy (Hao Wang): https://amzn.to/3ZkIcTD
- The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien): https://amzn.to/46bZnsw
- Works of Carl Jung (Carl Jung): https://amzn.to/44UKJF7
- Works of Marie-Louise von Franz (Marie-Louise von Franz): https://amzn.to/3sWWg9D
- Bhagavad Gita: https://amzn.to/3sTfrB8
- The Undecidable (Martin Davis): https://amzn.to/48njW7u
- The Emperor's New Mind (Roger Penrose): https://amzn.to/44Zabcw
- The Trouble with Physics (Lee Smolin): https://amzn.to/3sXpmG6
- Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray (Sabine Hossenfelder): https://amzn.to/3Pna7xy
- Not Even Wrong (Peter Woit): https://amzn.to/44XJlBx
VIDEOS MENTIONED:
- Debate w/ Sabine Λ Bernardo on Superdeterminism: https://youtu.be/kJmBmopxc1k
- Podcast w/ Norman Wildberger TOE: https://youtu.be/l7LvgvunVCM
- Podcast w/ Dror Bar Natan on TOE: https://youtu.be/rJz_Badd43c
- Podcast w/ Lex Friedman and Frenkel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osh0-J3T2nY
- Podcast w/ Richard Borcherds on TOE: https://youtu.be/U3pQWkE2KqM (Part 2) and https://youtu.be/xu15ZbxxnUQ (Part 1)
- Podcast w/ Sabine Hossenfelder on TOE: https://youtu.be/walaNM7KiYA
- Podcast w/ Bernardo Kastrup on TOE: https://youtu.be/lAB21FAXCDE
- Podcast w/ Eric Weinstein on TOE: https://youtu.be/KElq_MLO1kw
- Angela Collier on String Theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kya_LXa_y1E
- Mike Wallace's Interview of Aldous Huxley (1958): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alasBxZsb40
WEBSITES MENTIONED:
- Edward Frenkel's Official Site: https://edwardfrenkel.com
- Edward Frenkel's Soundcloud (DJ Moonshine): https://soundcloud.com/moonstein
- Twitter (Edward Frenkel): https://twitter.com/edfrenkel
- YouTube (Edward Frenkel): https://www.youtube.com/edfrenkel
- Instagram (Edward Frenkel): https://www.instagram.com/edfrenkel
- Peter Woit's Blog: https://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress
TIMESTAMPS:
- 00:00:00 Introduction
- 00:03:40 The Langlands Program
- 00:09:23 Love and Math: An ode to mathematics
- 00:13:09 Art as a two-way street (reciprocal nature of artistic expression)
- 00:18:28 The Weil conjectures
- 00:24:53 Romantic side of math and the "Theory of Everything" as a process vs. a state
- 00:30:39 Paradoxes in math & axioms
- 00:33:57 Observer problem in mathematics
- 00:39:55 The debate on philosophy's role in science
- 00:51:44 "You can't get away from infinity."
- 01:07:41 Are computers conscious? Can they "think"? Turing's quotation
- 01:18:33 The limitations of computation and the unification of distinctions
- 01:23:29 Blurring lines between truth & beauty (algebraic-geometric interplay)
- 01:33:48 The terrifying question of self
- 01:36:07 Childhood memories and personal growth (transformative power of pain)
- 01:49:30 The struggle for excellence & reconnecting with the past
- 02:17:26 Death is love exposed most bare
- 02:19:10 Function fields in higher dimensional algebraic varieties
- 02:25:12 Superdeterminism w/ Sabine Hossenfelder Λ Bernardo Kastrup
- 02:37:08 The human aspect in scientific theories
- 02:39:00 Even atheists reason backward from God to interpretations of quantum mechanics (Richard Hamming)
- 02:43:02 The unfulfilled promise of string theory
- 03:01:33 Credit and ethics in scientific fields (Eric Weinstein)
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