The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss Stephen Wolfram on Math, Philosophy, & More
4 snips
Feb 21, 2022 
Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica and Wolfram|Alpha, joins Lawrence Krauss for a conversation on his upbringing, education path, and current work. They discuss symbolic manipulation, the importance of typing, childhood interest in space and physics, recording and analyzing data, exploring particle physics, experiences at the Dragon School, transitioning to independent learning, teaching kids to ask questions, early experiences with computers, revolutionizing computer mathematics with SMP, exploring symmetry and gauge field theories, cellular automata and complexity, computational irreducibility, limitations of computational abilities, observing new effects, and the nature of the universe.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Introduction
00:00 • 3min
Personal History and Philosophical Influences
02:35 • 8min
Childhood Memories of the Apollo Moon Landings and Early Interest in Space and Physics
10:18 • 2min
Recording and Analyzing Data
11:53 • 13min
Exploring Particle Physics and the Search for Fundamental Laws
25:06 • 12min
School Experiences at the Dragon School
37:31 • 9min
Transitioning from Exams to Independent Learning
46:06 • 6min
Teaching Kids to Ask Questions and Moons without Moons
51:56 • 5min
Early Experiences with Computers
57:05 • 16min
Revolutionizing Computer Mathematics with SMP
01:13:20 • 3min
Exploring Central Symmetry and the Challenges of Gauge Field Theories
01:16:33 • 2min
Exploring Cellular Automata and Complexity
01:18:32 • 7min
Computational Irreducibility and Complex Patterns
01:25:12 • 23min
Perception and the Limitations of Computational Abilities
01:47:51 • 16min
Observing New Effects and the Molecular Dynamics of the Universe
02:03:22 • 17min
Exploring the Nature of the Universe and the Question of Completeness
02:19:56 • 3min