Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal The Physicist Who Proved Free Will Using Thermodynamics
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Jul 10, 2025 Jenann Ismael, a physicist and philosopher, explains her groundbreaking perspective that free will is a tangible reality rooted in thermodynamics and relativity. She discusses the unpredictability that even the most advanced systems face, allowing for genuine agency. The conversation touches on the interplay of identity and memory, the enigmatic relationship between determinism and choice, and the existential challenges we all face. From personal loss to the essence of self, Ismael makes complex concepts accessible and relatable.
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Limits of Self-Prediction
- No perfect deterministic system can predict its own next action without failure due to logical impossibility.
- This inherent limitation creates fundamental unpredictability within physical deterministic models.
Relativity Limits Determinism
- In relativity, past light cones never contain enough information to predict future events with certainty.
- This makes determinism impossible in a universe that respects causal structures of relativity.
Thermodynamics Grounds Cognition
- Thermodynamic gradients create information-rich asymmetries essential for life and cognition.
- Organisms use environmental information shaped by these gradients to guide survival behaviors.
