#79 – Lee Smolin: Quantum Gravity and Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution

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.


EPISODE LINKS:
Books mentioned:
– Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution by Lee Smolin:
https://amzn.to/2TsF5c3
– The Trouble With Physics by Lee Smolin:
https://amzn.to/2v1FMzy
– Against Method by Paul Feyerabend: https://amzn.to/2VOPXCD


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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
03:03 – What is real?
05:03 – Scientific method and scientific progress
24:57 – Eric Weinstein and radical ideas in science
29:32 – Quantum mechanics and general relativity
47:24 – Sean Carroll and many-worlds interpretation of quantum
mechanics
55:33 – Principles in science
57:24 – String theory