In 'Good and Real', Gary Drescher explores provocative paradoxes related to consciousness, choice, ethics, and quantum mechanics. He argues that these phenomena can be compatible with a deterministic universe, using computational models and analyses of Newcomb's Problem and the Prisoner's Dilemma. Drescher also discusses quantum mechanics, building on Everett's relative-state formulation to argue for an objective, deterministic physical reality.
In 'Plato and the Nerd', Edward Ashford Lee argues that technology's progress is limited more by human imagination than physical constraints. He emphasizes the co-evolution of humans and technology, where technology enhances human capabilities while humans develop and propagate it. Lee also explores the distinction between science and engineering, advocating for engineering as a fundamentally creative process.
In this book, Donald Hoffman challenges the notion that our senses report back objective reality. He argues that evolution has sculpted our minds for fitness, not to accurately represent reality, leading to a mismatch between our perceptions and the true nature of the world. Hoffman introduces the concept of 'Fitness Beats Truth' and uses analogies like the computer desktop to explain how our consciousness interacts with the world in a way that is useful but not necessarily reflective of underlying reality. He also proposes 'Conscious Realism,' suggesting that conscious agents create the perception of an objective reality, rather than the other way around.
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/bhSlYfVtgww
Deep dive into the nature of consciousness and reality.
Sponsors: https://brilliant.org/TOE for 20% off. For Algo's podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9IfRw1QaTglRoX0sN11AQQ and website https://www.algo.com/.
Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE
PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything
Merch: https://tinyurl.com/TOEmerch
LINKS MENTIONED:
-QBism Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/1003.5209
-Donald Hoffman's book The Case Against Reality (affiliate): https://amzn.to/34eWmxz
-Plato and the Nerd (affiliate): https://amzn.to/34GMexr
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:34 Is a Theory of Everything possible? / Definition of Consciousness
00:08:32 Spacetime's fundamental nature (or not)
00:14:27 Joscha Bach on mysterianism, telepathy, and consciousness
00:34:40 Joscha has a way of interpreting the Bible literally
00:42:01 Physical world vs Computational world
00:57:57 On Gödel and changing the definition of truth to provable / computable
01:12:33 What parts of the mind makes statements beyond computation?
01:13:57 Real numbers don't exist?
01:15:23 [Prof. Edward Lee] Reality is not necessarily algorithmic
01:34:02 Donald Hoffman on Free Will
01:44:03 Joscha Bach on Free Will and whether a TOE exists
01:57:10 What would change in Bach's model if classical logic was correct?
02:07:42 Penrose and Lucas argument regarding Gödel and the mind
02:13:55 Closing thoughts from Bach and Hoffman on each other's work
* * *
Just wrapped (April 2021) a documentary called Better Left Unsaid http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com on the topic of "when does the left go too far?" Visit that site if you'd like to watch it.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal 
