Making Sense with Sam Harris
#318 — Physics & Philosophy
May 1, 2023
Tim Maudlin, a philosophy professor at NYU and director of the John Bell Institute, dives into the fascinating intersection of physics and metaphysics. He discusses the nature of time, comparing presentism and eternalism. Topics like scientific reductionism and the laws of nature are explored, along with riveting questions about free will and causation. Maudlin also introduces modal realism and David Lewis’s possible worlds, challenging listeners to rethink their understanding of reality and the notion of possibilities.
54:15
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Quick takeaways
- The debate between presentism and eternalism in relation to the nature of time and the existence of past, present, and future.
- The rejection of teleological explanations in scientific disciplines and the question of whether possibility is an illusion.
Deep dives
The Direction of Time and the Block Universe
The podcast discussion explores the nature of time, specifically the debate between presentism and eternalism. Presentism suggests that the past no longer exists, while eternalism argues that past, present, and future are all equally real. The idea of a block universe, which spatializes time and removes a preferential direction, is also mentioned. The guest, Tim Maudlin, explains that he rejects the notion of time lacking direction and highlights that time has always been treated as having a direction in physics. While some physicists may hold different views, Maudlin emphasizes that there is no reason to believe time lacks direction.
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