Mathematical Physicist Edward Witten Interview - 1 of 2

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Mathematical Physicist Edward Witten, one of the principal authors of string theory, being interviewed by Ira Flatow on Big Ideas.

Channel: Science & Technology
Uploaded: June 27, 2008 at 12:52 am
Author: lGzYl

Length: 00:09:33
Rating: 4.93
Views: 11633

Tags: edward witten mathematical theoretical physicist physics string superstring mystical matrix m-theory super symmetry

Video Comments:
pogoism1 (October 9, 2008 at 3:22 am)
very interesting, but his attitude is definitely going on my nerves.
mrqsilveira (September 23, 2008 at 7:35 am)
Spinoza says that God`s thoughts are human thoughts. There are no God's thoughts that are not human thoughts. To me, this means that free-will is equivalent to the Living God in us. That the universe starts with a fluctuation of a fundamental state and we all are mapped to the wandering jew...
10mintwo (September 21, 2008 at 9:08 pm)
I'm sure he gives a shit what you think too
dnp97001 (September 20, 2008 at 9:05 pm)
Like who? How do you know that? If you haven't met these people, then you're just guessing.
mrqsilveira (September 15, 2008 at 2:39 am)
To IGzYI's faith in Science: For the infant Einstein the first great mover and guider was literally a compass. Later, it become a Gedanken which he translated into the powerful principle of equivalence. For me, almost an old man, fundamental principles are like God's axioms. For that reason, a Quantum Gravity theory while in the hands of "unfaithful minds" (pure reason) is but claudicant science, not to say blind research taking an Einstein`s special viewpoint!
lGzYl (September 15, 2008 at 8:11 am)
if there is an intelligent designer then theres no doubt in my mind that our purpose on earth is to answer the questions we have about our existence and the manner in which things work. why else would he bestow upon us the desire for knowledge and the capacity to ponder such things? hopefully LHC will shed some more light on the things weve yet to understand. id sure like to know whether or not there is actually a higgs boson. ethr wy scnc prgrsss and we win. its a nvrending journey fr truth! :)
mrqsilveira (September 18, 2008 at 10:20 pm)
Dear friend, IN NO WAY I think there's an intelligent designer... Honestly, I don't even know if that matters. Anyway, I can sense something UTTERLY BEAUTIFUL out there! Doesn't you?
lGzYl (September 20, 2008 at 1:35 am)
I wasn't implying that you believe in an intelligent designer, I was merely stating that IF THERE IS one, which can't be disproven, than it honestly doesn't change anything here. We'd undoubtably still be searching for the answers to all the questions we have. So, basically, we're on the same page. And yes, I do sense something wonderful out there, all one has to do is look in order to see it. ;) I'm inclined to believe that the universe and all the mystery in it is actually the "GOD" itself.HA!
littleredbirdy (September 21, 2008 at 11:01 pm)
If there is an intelligent designer and a TOE then most certainly THAT equation and its interpretation is ALL that matters.

I just believe we can intuitively grasp the Theory of Everything. What is it? That everything is unified and only appears contrary to that because of illusion.
lGzYl (September 22, 2008 at 5:08 am)
/me agrees completely. though it's not actually an illusion, it's just individual perspective. if you choose to see yourself as disconnected from the rest of the universe, than you're extremely short-sighted because, as most of us know, we're all made of the same stuff. which, as you said, is the unifer. however, it would be very nice to have a definative answer to just how everything interacts.. the known universal laws just don't go far enough unfortunately. need MORE INFO!!! MOOR!!!!!! RAWR!!