David Deutsch, a physicist and pioneer in quantum computing, takes us on a mind-bending journey into the complexities of science and philosophy. He discusses his innovative constructor theory and its implications for understanding physics. The conversation dives into the Popper-Miller theorem, exploring the limitations of inductive reasoning. Deutsch also reflects on Hugh Everett's contributions to quantum mechanics and the idea of multiverses. With a focus on explanatory knowledge, he highlights the transformative power of understanding in both science and personal growth.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Deutsch Meets Everett
David Deutsch attended a seminar by Hugh Everett, hosted by John Wheeler, in the late 70s.
Wheeler treated Everett like royalty, even waiving the no-smoking rule for him.
question_answer ANECDOTE
DeWitt's Influence
Deutsch's interest in the Everett interpretation stemmed from Bryce DeWitt, whom he met during DeWitt's sabbatical at Oxford.
A lunchtime conversation with DeWitt fully convinced Deutsch of the interpretation's validity.
insights INSIGHT
Punctuated Progress
Progress isn't uniformly rapid; long periods of monotony often precede sudden bursts of change.
These 'punctuations' aren't necessarily explained by punctuated equilibrium or probabilistic theories.
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In this groundbreaking book, David Deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe and that improving them is the basic regulating principle of all successful human endeavor. The book takes readers on a journey through various fields of science, history of civilization, art, moral values, and the theory of political institutions. Deutsch explains how we form new explanations and drop bad ones, and discusses the conditions under which progress, which he argues is potentially boundless, can and cannot happen. He emphasizes the importance of good explanations, which he defines as those that are 'hard to vary' and have 'reach', and argues that these explanations are central to the Enlightenment way of thinking and to all scientific and philosophical progress.
The Fabric of Reality
The Science of Parallel Universes--and Its Implications
David Deutsch
In 'The Fabric of Reality', David Deutsch explores a four-strand theory of everything, integrating Hugh Everett's many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, Karl Popper's epistemology, Alan Turing's theory of computation, and Richard Dawkins's evolutionary theory. The book discusses the implications of these theories, including the concept of the multiverse, quantum computers, time travel, and the ultimate fate of the universe. Deutsch argues that these theories, when taken literally and jointly, reveal a unified, objective, and comprehensible fabric of reality.
David Deutsch is one of the most creative scientific thinkers working today, who has as a goal to understand and explain the natural world as best we can. He was a pioneer in quantum computing, and has long been an advocate of the Everett interpretation of quantum theory. He is also the inventor of constructor theory, a new way of conceptualizing physics and science more broadly. But he also has a strong interest in philosophy and epistemology, championing a Popperian explanation-based approach over a rival Bayesian epistemology. We talk about all of these things and more, including his recent work on the Popper-Miller theorem, which specifies limitations on inductive approaches to knowledge and probability.
David Deutsch received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Oxford. He is currently a visiting professor in the Department of Atomic and Laser Physics at Oxford. He is a pioneer in quantum computation as well as initiating constructor theory. His books include The Fabric of Reality and The Beginning of Infinity. Among his awards including the Dirac Prize, the Dirac Medal, the Edge of Computation Science Prize, the Isaac Newton Medal, the Breakthrough Physics Prize, and a Royal Society Fellowship.
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 
