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#637: Stephen Wolfram — Personal Productivity Systems, Richard Feynman Stories, Computational Thinking as a Superpower, Perceiving a Branching Universe, and The Ruliad... The Biggest Object in Metascience

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Nov 24, 2022

Guest

Stephen Wolfram

Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica and founder of Wolfram Research, dives deep into personal productivity and computational thinking. He shares fascinating stories about Richard Feynman, emphasizing adaptive problem-solving skills. The conversation explores the complexities of language and technology in preserving emotional nuances. Wolfram introduces the Ruliad, a concept linking existence to a universal computational framework. Additionally, he discusses innovative productivity techniques, highlighting how live streaming work can enhance engagement and accountability.

01:45:19

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ANECDOTE

Impeccable Memory

Stephen Wolfram impressed Tim Ferriss by recalling a past encounter at a 2011 Wired Health Conference.
Wolfram maintains extensive digital archives, including emails, trip reports, and scanned documents.

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ADVICE

Building Matrices for Ideas

Create "matrices" or frameworks to hold your ideas, especially for larger projects.
Avoid letting small ideas die on the vine, integrate them into bigger frameworks.

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INSIGHT

Frameworks and Breakthroughs

Developing conceptual frameworks can take years, but breakthroughs within those frameworks are often sudden.
Wolfram's 50-year journey with a physics question exemplifies this.

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Navigating Productivity and Language Complexity

04:44 • 29min

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Exploring the Genius of Richard Feynman and Innovative Comfort Wear

33:30 • 4min

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Unveiling Mathematical Brilliance and Computational Tools

37:34 • 3min

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Exploring the Ruliad: The Intersection of Science and Consciousness

41:03 • 35min

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Innovative Productivity Through Streaming

01:15:56 • 17min

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Unlocking Productivity Through Computational Thinking

01:32:46 • 5min

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Exploring Curiosity and Innovation

01:37:53 • 7min

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A New Kind Of Science

Stephen Wolfram

In 'A New Kind of Science,' Stephen Wolfram presents a comprehensive study of computational systems, particularly cellular automata, and argues that the study of simple programs can revolutionize various fields of science. The book, which took over a decade to complete, introduces the Principle of Computational Equivalence and the concept of computational irreducibility. Wolfram demonstrates how simple rules can generate complex behavior, similar to patterns observed in nature, and discusses the implications of these findings for fields such as physics, biology, and mathematics. The book is known for its extensive use of computer graphics and its attempt to establish a new foundational science based on computational principles.

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Stephen Wolfram (@stephen_wolfram) is the creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha and the Wolfram Language; the author of A New Kind of Science; the originator of the Wolfram Physics Project; and the founder and CEO of Wolfram Research. Over the course of more than four decades, he has been a pioneer in the development and application of computational thinking and has been responsible for many discoveries, inventions, and innovations in science, technology, and business.

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[06:58] How Stephen collects information for his vast personal archives.

[08:40] When a situation warrants building a matrix.

[12:31] Science sometimes makes us look far back to move incrementally forward.

[17:49] Befriending the computational.

[22:59] How technology helps us navigate natural language.

[32:30] How Stephen chose subjects for his book Idea Makers.

[35:09] On spending time with Richard Feynman.

[37:33] Thoughts on Srinivasa Ramanujan.

[39:57] When Stephen started solving science problems with computers.

[42:00] Heresies today, gospels tomorrow.

[50:14] Ruminations on the ruliad.