Roger Penrose

In this engaging conversation, Roger Penrose, a British mathematical physicist and Nobel Laureate, discusses the intriguing nature of consciousness and its computational limits. He explores Gödel's theorem and its implications for understanding consciousness beyond mere algorithms. The dialogue touches on the interplay between mathematics and art, illustrated through M.C. Escher's works. Penrose also examines how intuition and pattern recognition influence human creativity and the complex relationship between consciousness, quantum mechanics, and the universe's origins.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Iain Mcgilchrist, a prominent neuroscientist and philosopher, joins Nobel laureate Roger Penrose and postmodern sociologist Steve Fuller to explore the elusive nature of consciousness. They dissect whether consciousness exists outside of human thought and its relationship to knowledge and experience. The trio delves into Gödel's theorem, the quantum potential of microtubules, and the impact of technology on our understanding of consciousness. Join them as they navigate the complex intersection of physics, philosophy, and human existence.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Iain Mcgilchrist, a prominent neuroscientist and philosopher, joins Nobel laureate Roger Penrose, a mathematical physicist, and postmodern sociologist Steve Fuller. They dive into the elusive nature of consciousness, exploring its potential quantum links and challenging traditional views. Topics include shared consciousness, the mind-body connection, and the historical context of consciousness across various entities, making complex ideas accessible and engaging for all.

Summary: Roger Penrose and I discussed his life and work in science, mathematics, art and beyond, including the work for which he won the Nobel Prize, and his recent highly controversial proposal regarding the beginning and end of the Universe.To get this episode into your RSS feed, please click the button below from your phone:Roger Penrose, who shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics, for his 1965 theoretical demonstration that black holes are an inevitable consequence of Einstein’s General Relativity, something that hadn’t been widely accepted at that time, is known to his colleagues as a remarkable mathematical physicist, whose way of picturing things has changed the way we now picture many things. His use of what are called conformal diagrams, now called Penrose diagrams, allow us to intuitively picture processes in curved space, particularly around black holes in ways we couldn’t do otherwise. He also developed something called Penrose tiles, fill a two dimensional plane in a way that was previously thought to be impossible. He both inspired, and was inspired by the famous Dutch artist M. C. Escher, in his ‘impossible’ drawings. Most recently Roger has proposed an alternative picture of the evolution of the Universe called Cyclic Conformal Cosmology, which connects the distant past of the Universe with the far future. It is controversial, and few others have accepted his picture at this time. He and I spent almost 3 hours discussing all of these things, and also his early inspirations as a young man, the nature of mathematics and physics, and much more. I am extremely happy to release this episode with Roger Penrose as the first Substack-hosted episode of The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss. I hope you enjoy it, and all the future episodes to come. Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Roger Penrose, 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics, explores fundamental questions about existence, the nature of mathematics, and the cosmos. He discusses the interconnections between physical, mental, and mathematical worlds, the relationship of mathematics with the physical universe, and presents his hypothesis of conformal cyclic cosmology. Penrose challenges the dominant view of pure physicalism and delves into the mystery of the alignment between mathematics, the physical world, and mentality.