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What is Real? (Lee Smolin) | AI Podcast Clips
13 segments available
Full episode with Lee Smolin (Mar 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgLo4gmEraU Clips channel (Lex Clips): https://www.youtube.com/lexclips Main channel (Lex Fridman): https://www.youtube.com/lexfridman (more links below) Podcast full episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 Podcasts clips playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOeciFP3CBCIEElOJeitOr41 Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/ai Podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes): https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 Podcast RSS: https://lexfridman.com/category/ai/feed/ Lee Smolin is a theoretical physicist, co-inventor of loop quantum gravity, and a contributor of many interesting ideas to cosmology, quantum field theory, the foundations of quantum mechanics, theoretical biology, and the philosophy of science. He is the author of several books including one that critiques the state of physics and string theory called The Trouble with Physics, and his latest book, Einstein's Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum. Subscribe to this YouTube channel or connect on: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman
Segments Timeline
What is Real?
Lee Smolin opens the discussion by questioning the nature of reality and how we can discern what is real from mere human perception. He emphasizes the belief in a world that exists independently of our experiences, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of reality beyond scientific understanding.
"what is real let's start with an easy question put another way how do we know what is real and what is merely a creation of our human perception and imagination we don't know you don't know this is sc..."
The Processed World
Smolin discusses how our brains construct our experiences, suggesting that while we perceive a processed version of reality, there exists a 'real world' behind our perceptions. He raises questions about how we can truly understand this real world, whether through physics or intuitive connections to our evolutionary past.
"the crazy idea to you there's a version of that that is not crazy at all what we experienced is constructed by our brains and by our brains in an active mode so we don't see the raw world we see a ver..."
Judgment and Survival
In this segment, Smolin reflects on human judgment and decision-making, highlighting our need to act quickly on incomplete information for survival. He discusses the implications of being often wrong in our judgments and the stories we create to explain our experiences.
"explain what happens when there are fires when they're not fighters what animals and plants are good to eat and all that stuff and but we're also just curious we look up in the sky and we see the Sun ..."
The Nature of Being Right
Smolin explores the concept of being 'right' in the context of realism, suggesting that it is a relative scale of coming closer to an accurate description of the real world. He emphasizes the role of the scientific method in this pursuit, questioning its existence as a singular method.
"that's that's the that's a that's an excellent question to be right well since I'm I believe that there is a real world I believe that to be you can challenge me on this if you're not a realist realiz..."
The Scientific Community
Discussing the scientific community, Smolin argues that science is not just a method but a collective of people bound by ethical principles. He explains the importance of rigorous training and the necessity of checking and validating results within this community.
"don't believe is a scientific method ha I was very influenced when I was in graduate school by the writings of Paul fire Amin who was in it an important philosopher of science who argue that there isn..."
The Gap in Scientific Method
Smolin delves into the discrepancies between the ideal of the scientific method and the realities of scientific practice. He illustrates this with historical examples, emphasizing the complexity of aligning experiments with hypotheses and the evolution of scientific understanding.
"don't lie report all your results whether they agree or don't agree with your hypothesis check the training of a scientist mostly consists of methods of checking because again we make lots of mistakes..."
Progress in Science
In this segment, Smolin reflects on the historical progress of science, particularly during the scientific revolutions of the early 20th century. He discusses how scientific advancements have led to practical applications that have significantly improved human life.
"you're still going to be questioned and you still may propose or publish mistakes but the community is gonna have to waste less time fixing your mistakes yes but if you can maybe linger on it a little..."
Experimental Validation
Smolin emphasizes the critical role of experimental validation in science, asserting that it is the ultimate test for theories. He discusses key predictions of quantum mechanics and their validation as essential to the progress of scientific understanding.
"Newton in 1680 something 1687 so what do you think is the nature of the process that seems to lead to progress if we at least look at the long arc of science of all the the community of scientists the..."
Realism vs. Anti-Realism
Smolin introduces the concepts of realism and anti-realism, explaining realism as the belief in an objective reality independent of human perception. He contrasts this with anti-realist views, which suggest that science is more about our interactions with nature than an objective description of it.
"that's the progress I'm kind of referring to let me can I say that more precisely yes well I think it's a it's important to get this it's the time place is right yes there was a scientific revolution ..."
The Role of Consciousness
In this segment, Smolin discusses the role of human consciousness in the context of realism. He raises questions about whether our perceptions influence reality and how a naturalistic view can accommodate the existence of consciousness.
"revolution is the basis of the technologies you mentioned all of I mean electrical technology was being developed slowly with this and there's a close relation between development of electric electric..."
The Nature of Reality
Smolin contemplates the nature of reality and whether our cognitive abilities limit our understanding of it. He discusses the potential for future discoveries and the universality of mathematical and explanatory systems in grasping the fundamental aspects of reality.
"that you mentioned what is realism what is anti realism and maybe why do you find realism as you mentioned so compelling realism is you is the belief in the in an external world independent of our exi..."
Human Limitations
Smolin reflects on the limitations of human cognition in understanding reality, suggesting that while we have made significant progress, there may be fundamental aspects of the universe that remain beyond our grasp.
"which had some chance in it so do you you said you could live with it but do you think God plays dice in our universe I think it's probably much worse than that in which direction I think that theorie..."
The Aspirational Nature of Science
In this concluding segment, Smolin expresses hope that the stories we tell through science will eventually lead us to a deeper understanding of reality. He acknowledges the ongoing journey of discovery and the aspiration to uncover the truths of the universe.
"what's the role of the human being our beautiful complex human mind in the in realism do we have them are we just another set of molecules connected together in a clever way or the observer does the o..."