The Life Scientific Edward Witten on 'the theory of everything'
Oct 31, 2023
Physicist Edward Witten, known for M-Theory, discusses his career, fascination with quark confinement, pragmatic approach to research, and the discovery of the J.S.I. particle. He also explores the unification of string theory and supersymmetry, the relevance of Morse theory, and the ongoing quest for a theory of everything.
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Choose Big Yet Tractable Questions
- Choose ambitious but solvable research questions.
- They make work meaningful and achievable.
Lifetime White Whale: Quark Confinement
- Edward Witten obsessed over quark confinement since graduate school.
- He explains separating a quark makes energy grow without bound.
Be Pragmatic In Choosing Problems
- Avoid rigid preconceptions when choosing research problems.
- Stay flexible to notice areas most ripe for progress.