Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal Edward Frenkel: Infinity, String Theory, Death, The Self
Sep 20, 2023
Edward Frenkel, a mathematics professor at Berkeley and author of 'Love and Math,' shares insights into the mystical world of string theory and the Langlands Program. He explores profound themes like infinity, trauma, and the nature of death, connecting them to the personal journey of self-discovery. The conversation intertwines mathematics with spirituality, referencing the Bhagavad Gita, and reflects on how personal experiences shape scientific ambition. Frenkel also advocates for a fresh perspective on mathematical narratives, revealing the delicate balance between creativity and intellectual rigor.
03:19:49
Math's Marketplace of Ideas
- Math, like physics, relies on axioms, but these aren't fixed.
- Mathematicians choose axioms based on fruitfulness and aesthetics, making it a "marketplace of ideas."
Math's Subjective Illusion
- Math appears objective, but choices by mathematicians shape its foundations.
- Non-Euclidean geometry illustrates that there isn't just one axiomatic system.
Turing's Undecidable Insight
- Edward Frenkel criticizes the idea that everything is computation.
- He cites Alan Turing, who acknowledged computation's inherent limitations.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Mathematics, Art, and Self-Discovery
01:41 • 18min
Navigating the Confusing Landscape of Mathematical Names
19:50 • 3min
Connecting Math: Number Theory and Geometry
22:28 • 2min
Exploring Way Conjectures and the Langlands Program
24:09 • 2min
Mathematics, Spirituality, and the Pursuit of Truth
25:45 • 10min
The Subjective Nature of Mathematical Axioms
35:31 • 29min
Exploring Mathematical Frameworks and Machine Understanding
01:04:04 • 19min
Philosophy Meets Mathematics
01:23:04 • 6min
The Cost of Genius: Turing's Legacy
01:29:26 • 3min
Self-Discovery and the Impact of Trauma
01:32:54 • 18min
Navigating Trust and Self-Discovery
01:51:13 • 25min
The Interplay of Love and Grief: Understanding Death's True Nature
02:15:48 • 5min
Art, Science, and the Quantum Conundrum
02:20:36 • 23min
Reevaluating String Theory
02:43:54 • 25min
The Importance of Attribution and Accountability in Discourse
03:08:51 • 2min
Engaging Reflections and Community Engagement
03:11:00 • 5min
#
The Undecidable
Martin Davis
The Undecidable: Basic Papers on Undecidable Propositions, Unsolvable Problems and Computable Functions is an anthology edited by Martin Davis, featuring key works by major figures in the field, including Gödel, Church, and Turing.
It explores foundational issues in logic, computability, and the limits of mathematical systems.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of undecidability and unsolvability, making it a valuable resource for those interested in mathematical logic and theoretical computer science.
#62
• Mentioned in 172 episodes
Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is a central text in Hinduism, embedded within the epic Mahabharata.
It recounts a dialogue between the warrior-prince Arjuna and his charioteer, Krishna, who is an avatar of the god Vishnu.
The text explores themes of dharma (duty), karma (action), and the path to spiritual enlightenment.
Krishna advises Arjuna on the importance of performing his duties without attachment to the outcomes, emphasizing the concept of nishkama karma (nonattached action).
The Gita synthesizes various strands of Indian religious thought, including Vedic concepts, samkhya yoga, and bhakti (devotion), providing a coherent vision of Hindu philosophy and spiritual practice.
#1453
• Mentioned in 21 episodes
The Emperor's New Mind
Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics
Roger Penrose
In this book, Roger Penrose challenges the idea that human consciousness can be replicated by computers.
He delves into various subjects including algorithms, Turing machines, complexity theory, quantum mechanics, and the basics of modern physics to support his argument that human cognition is fundamentally non-computable.
Penrose discusses the limitations of Turing machines, the incompleteness of formal systems as shown by Godel's proof, and the necessity of a unified theory of quantum gravity to explain human consciousness.
The book is a detailed and thought-provoking journey through mathematics, computer science, philosophy, and physics, making it a must-read for those interested in the nature of mind and the relationship between physics and consciousness.
#9
• Mentioned in 376 episodes
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R. R.
Tolkien, is an epic high fantasy novel set in Middle-earth.
The story follows Frodo Baggins, a hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle Bilbo.
The Ring, forged by Sauron, holds the power to control all other Rings of Power and must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom to prevent Sauron's return.
Frodo is joined by a fellowship of other characters, including Gandalf the Grey, Samwise Gamgee, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir, as they embark on a dangerous quest across Middle-earth.
The novel explores themes of good vs.
evil, the corrupting influence of power, and the struggle between fate and free will.
#7983
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
Love and Math
The Heart of Hidden Reality
Edward Frenkel
Edward Frenkel's "Love and Math" is a captivating exploration of the beauty and elegance of mathematics.
Frenkel, a renowned mathematician, shares his personal journey, revealing the profound impact mathematics has had on his life.
He skillfully demystifies complex mathematical concepts, making them accessible to a broad audience.
The book challenges the common perception of mathematics as a dry and esoteric subject, showcasing its inherent creativity and relevance to the world around us.
Through engaging anecdotes and insightful explanations, Frenkel inspires readers to appreciate the power and wonder of mathematics.
Edward Frenkel, a mathematician known for his work on string theory and the Langlands Program, joins us to explore the deep connections between infinity, death, and personal trauma. The conversation weaves together mathematics, philosophy, and the human experience, questioning the nature of consciousness and the limits of scientific theory.
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:03:40 - The Langlands Program
- 00:09:23 - Love and Math: An ode to mathematics
- 00:13:09 - Art as a two-way street (reciprocal nature of artistic expression)
- 00:18:28 - The Weil conjectures
- 00:24:53 - Romantic side of math and the "Theory of Everything" as a process vs. a state
- 00:30:39 - Paradoxes in math & axioms
- 00:33:57 - Observer problem in mathematics
- 00:39:55 - The debate on philosophy's role in science
- 00:51:44 - "You can't get away from infinity."
- 01:07:41 - Are computers conscious? Can they "think"? Turing's quotation
- 01:18:33 - The limitations of computation and the unification of distinctions
- 01:23:29 - Blurring lines between truth & beauty (algebraic-geometric interplay)
- 01:33:48 - The terrifying question of self
- 01:36:07 - Childhood memories and personal growth (transformative power of pain)
- 01:49:30 - The struggle for excellence & reconnecting with the past
- 02:17:26 - Death is love exposed most bare
- 02:19:10 - Function fields in higher dimensional algebraic varieties
- 02:25:12 - Superdeterminism w/ Sabine Hossenfelder Λ Bernardo Kastrup
- 02:37:08 - The human aspect in scientific theories
- 02:39:00 - Even atheists reason backward from God to interpretations of quantum mechanics (Richard Hamming)
- 02:43:02 - The unfulfilled promise of string theory
- 03:01:33 - Credit and ethics in scientific fields (Eric Weinstein)
SPONSORS:
- Patreon: early access to ad-free audio episodes! 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
RESOURCES:
- YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_oPMcvHbAc
- Love and Math (Edward Frenkel): https://amzn.to/3ZiXyI1
- From Mathematics to Philosophy (Hao Wang): https://amzn.to/3ZkIcTD
- The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien): https://amzn.to/46bZnsw
- Works of Carl Jung (Carl Jung): https://amzn.to/44UKJF7
- Works of Marie-Louise von Franz (Marie-Louise von Franz): https://amzn.to/3sWWg9D
- Bhagavad Gita: https://amzn.to/3sTfrB8
- The Undecidable (Martin Davis): https://amzn.to/48njW7u
- The Emperor's New Mind (Roger Penrose): https://amzn.to/44Zabcw
- The Trouble with Physics (Lee Smolin): https://amzn.to/3sXpmG6
- Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray (Sabine Hossenfelder): https://amzn.to/3Pna7xy
- Not Even Wrong (Peter Woit): https://amzn.to/44XJlBx
- Debate w/ Sabine Λ Bernardo on Superdeterminism: https://youtu.be/kJmBmopxc1k
- Podcast w/ Norman Wildberger TOE: https://youtu.be/l7LvgvunVCM
- Podcast w/ Dror Bar Natan on TOE: https://youtu.be/rJz_Badd43c
- Podcast w/ Lex Friedman and Frenkel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osh0-J3T2nY
- Podcast w/ Richard Borcherds on TOE (Part 2): https://youtu.be/U3pQWkE2KqM
- Podcast w/ Richard Borcherds on TOE (Part 1): https://youtu.be/xu15ZbxxnUQ
- Podcast w/ Sabine Hossenfelder on TOE: https://youtu.be/walaNM7KiYA
- Podcast w/ Bernardo Kastrup on TOE: https://youtu.be/lAB21FAXCDE
- Podcast w/ Eric Weinstein on TOE: https://youtu.be/KElq_MLO1kw
- Angela Collier on String Theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kya_LXa_y1E
- Mike Wallace's Interview of Aldous Huxley (1958): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alasBxZsb40
- Edward Frenkel's Official Site: https://edwardfrenkel.com
- Edward Frenkel's Soundcloud (DJ Moonshine): https://soundcloud.com/moonstein
- Twitter (Edward Frenkel): https://twitter.com/edfrenkel
- YouTube (Edward Frenkel): https://www.youtube.com/edfrenkel
- Instagram (Edward Frenkel): https://www.instagram.com/edfrenkel
- Peter Woit's Blog: https://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:03:40 - The Langlands Program
- 00:09:23 - Love and Math: An ode to mathematics
- 00:13:09 - Art as a two-way street (reciprocal nature of artistic expression)
- 00:18:28 - The Weil conjectures
- 00:24:53 - Romantic side of math and the "Theory of Everything" as a process vs. a state
- 00:30:39 - Paradoxes in math & axioms
- 00:33:57 - Observer problem in mathematics
- 00:39:55 - The debate on philosophy's role in science
- 00:51:44 - "You can't get away from infinity."
- 01:07:41 - Are computers conscious? Can they "think"? Turing's quotation
- 01:18:33 - The limitations of computation and the unification of distinctions
- 01:23:29 - Blurring lines between truth & beauty (algebraic-geometric interplay)
- 01:33:48 - The terrifying question of self
- 01:36:07 - Childhood memories and personal growth (transformative power of pain)
- 01:49:30 - The struggle for excellence & reconnecting with the past
- 02:17:26 - Death is love exposed most bare
- 02:19:10 - Function fields in higher dimensional algebraic varieties
- 02:25:12 - Superdeterminism w/ Sabine Hossenfelder Λ Bernardo Kastrup
- 02:37:08 - The human aspect in scientific theories
- 02:39:00 - Even atheists reason backward from God to interpretations of quantum mechanics (Richard Hamming)
- 02:43:02 - The unfulfilled promise of string theory
- 03:01:33 - Credit and ethics in scientific fields (Eric Weinstein)
SPONSORS:
- Patreon: early access to ad-free audio episodes! 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
RESOURCES:
- YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_oPMcvHbAc
- Love and Math (Edward Frenkel): https://amzn.to/3ZiXyI1
- From Mathematics to Philosophy (Hao Wang): https://amzn.to/3ZkIcTD
- The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien): https://amzn.to/46bZnsw
- Works of Carl Jung (Carl Jung): https://amzn.to/44UKJF7
- Works of Marie-Louise von Franz (Marie-Louise von Franz): https://amzn.to/3sWWg9D
- Bhagavad Gita: https://amzn.to/3sTfrB8
- The Undecidable (Martin Davis): https://amzn.to/48njW7u
- The Emperor's New Mind (Roger Penrose): https://amzn.to/44Zabcw
- The Trouble with Physics (Lee Smolin): https://amzn.to/3sXpmG6
- Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray (Sabine Hossenfelder): https://amzn.to/3Pna7xy
- Not Even Wrong (Peter Woit): https://amzn.to/44XJlBx
- Debate w/ Sabine Λ Bernardo on Superdeterminism: https://youtu.be/kJmBmopxc1k
- Podcast w/ Norman Wildberger TOE: https://youtu.be/l7LvgvunVCM
- Podcast w/ Dror Bar Natan on TOE: https://youtu.be/rJz_Badd43c
- Podcast w/ Lex Friedman and Frenkel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osh0-J3T2nY
- Podcast w/ Richard Borcherds on TOE (Part 2): https://youtu.be/U3pQWkE2KqM
- Podcast w/ Richard Borcherds on TOE (Part 1): https://youtu.be/xu15ZbxxnUQ
- Podcast w/ Sabine Hossenfelder on TOE: https://youtu.be/walaNM7KiYA
- Podcast w/ Bernardo Kastrup on TOE: https://youtu.be/lAB21FAXCDE
- Podcast w/ Eric Weinstein on TOE: https://youtu.be/KElq_MLO1kw
- Angela Collier on String Theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kya_LXa_y1E
- Mike Wallace's Interview of Aldous Huxley (1958): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alasBxZsb40
- Edward Frenkel's Official Site: https://edwardfrenkel.com
- Edward Frenkel's Soundcloud (DJ Moonshine): https://soundcloud.com/moonstein
- Twitter (Edward Frenkel): https://twitter.com/edfrenkel
- YouTube (Edward Frenkel): https://www.youtube.com/edfrenkel
- Instagram (Edward Frenkel): https://www.instagram.com/edfrenkel
- Peter Woit's Blog: https://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress
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