This book provides a sweeping narrative of the inventors, engineers, and entrepreneurs who have given the world computers and the Internet. It begins with Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer, and continues through the contributions of Alan Turing, Vannevar Bush, John von Neumann, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Tim Berners-Lee, and Larry Page, among others. Isaacson emphasizes the importance of collaboration and teamwork in driving innovation, showing how these visionaries built upon and improved the accomplishments of previous generations.
This book provides an accessible introduction to the Wolfram Physics Project, combining new ideas with the latest research in physics, mathematics, and computation. It includes core technical exposition and rich visualizations to explore a dramatic new understanding of how our universe works. The project invites collaboration and offers tools for anyone to contribute to the quest for a fundamental theory of physics.
In 'A New Kind of Science,' Stephen Wolfram presents a comprehensive study of computational systems, particularly cellular automata, and argues that the study of simple programs can revolutionize various fields of science. The book, which took over a decade to complete, introduces the Principle of Computational Equivalence and the concept of computational irreducibility. Wolfram demonstrates how simple rules can generate complex behavior, similar to patterns observed in nature, and discusses the implications of these findings for fields such as physics, biology, and mathematics. The book is known for its extensive use of computer graphics and its attempt to establish a new foundational science based on computational principles.
In 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions', Thomas S. Kuhn argues that scientific progress does not occur through a gradual accumulation of facts, but rather through periodic revolutions that disrupt existing paradigms. Kuhn introduces the concept of 'normal science' and 'revolutionary science', where normal science involves puzzle-solving within an established paradigm, and revolutionary science involves a paradigm shift that fundamentally changes the way scientists view the world. He explains that these revolutions are driven by the accumulation of anomalies that cannot be explained by the current paradigm, leading to a crisis and eventually a new paradigm that offers a different perspective and new ways of conducting research[1][3][5].
In 'Lost in Math', Sabine Hossenfelder critiques the dominance of the concept of 'beauty' in theoretical particle physics. She argues that the emphasis on mathematical elegance and symmetry has hindered progress in the field, leading to untestable theories such as string theory and supersymmetry. Through interviews with prominent physicists and detailed analysis, Hossenfelder highlights the problems with current approaches and suggests that a more pragmatic and evidence-based approach is needed. The book also explores historical examples where 'beautiful' theories were initially rejected but later proven correct, and it questions the anthropic arguments that some physicists use to justify untestable theories.
Stephen Wolfram is a computer scientist, mathematician, and theoretical physicist. This is our second conversation on the podcast.
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Here’s the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
OUTLINE:
00:00 – Introduction
07:14 – Key moments in history of physics
12:43 – Philosophy of science
14:37 – Science and computational reducibility
22:08 – Predicting the pandemic
38:58 – Sunburn moment with Wolfram Alpha
39:46 – Computational irreducibility
46:45 – Theory of everything
52:41 – General relativity
1:01:16 – Quantum mechanics
1:06:46 – Unifying the laws of physics
1:12:01 – Wolfram Physics Project
1:29:53 – Emergence of time
1:34:11 – Causal invariance
1:53:03 – Deriving physics from simple rules on hypergraphs
2:07:24 – Einstein equations
2:13:04 – Simulating the physics of the universe
2:17:28 – Hardware specs of the simulation
2:24:37 – Quantum mechanics in Wolfram physics model
2:42:46 – Double-slit experiment
2:45:13 – Quantum computers
2:53:21 – Getting started with Wolfram physics project
3:14:46 – The rules that created our universe
3:24:22 – Alien intelligences
3:32:29 – Meta-mathematics
3:37:58 – Why is math hard?
3:52:55 – Sabine Hossenfelder and how beauty leads physics astray
4:01:07 – Eric Weinstein and Geometric Unity
4:06:17 – Travel faster than speed of light
4:16:59 – Why does the universe exist at all
Lex Fridman Podcast 
