David Deutsch: Einstein Would Fail Modern Grant Applications
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
00:00
Why Grants Exist and How They Shape Academics
Curt asks about grants; David describes how grants affect teaching loads, research incentives, and students' funding paths.
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Episode notes
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 Fun
SPONSORS:
- The Economist: 20% off - https://www.economist.com/toe
- Claude: 50% off Claude Pro - http://claude.ai/theoriesofeverything
RESOURCES:
- 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 Λ 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 Λ 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
- 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 Fun
SPONSORS:
- The Economist: 20% off - https://www.economist.com/toe
- Claude: 50% off Claude Pro - http://claude.ai/theoriesofeverything
RESOURCES:
- 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 Λ 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 Λ 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
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