It can be tempting, when first introduced to a deep concept of physics like Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, to draw grand philosophical conclusions about the impossibility of knowing anything precisely. That is generally a temptation to be resisted, just because it's so easy to do it wrong. But there is absolutely a place for a careful humanistic synthesis of these kinds of scientific ideas with other ideas, for example from philosophy or literature. That's the kind of task William Egginton takes on in his new book The Rigor of Angels, which compares the work of philosopher Immanuel Kant, physicist Werner Heisenberg, and author Jorge Luis Borges, three thinkers who grappled with limitations on our aspirations to know reality directly.Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2023/10/23/254-william-egginton-on-kant-heisenberg-and-borges/Support Mindscape on Patreon.William Egginton received his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Stanford University. He is currently the Decker Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Alexander Grass Humanities Institute at Johns Hopkins. He is the author of numerous books on literature, literary theory, and philosophy. In addition to The Rigor of Angels, he has an upcoming book on the work of Chilean film director Alejandro Jodorowsky.Web siteJohns Hopkins web pageWikipediaAmazon author pageSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author William Egginton discusses his book Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality. The podcast explores the differences between reality and our experience of it, touching on Emily Dickinson's poetry and the struggles of silent sufferers. They also delve into the behavior of particles in classical and quantum physics, the limitations of language and numbers, and the use of parables and literature to expand understanding.

Author William Egginton discusses his new book 'The Rigor of Angels' and the connections between Borges, Kant, and Heisenberg. They explore the antimonies of knowledge and the role of art in solving them. The conversation includes topics like creativity, intelligence, the changing landscape of book publishing, and the balance between work and personal life.