Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

This is an interview with Stuart Kauffman, one of the founders of complexity theory. He invented random Boolean networks at only 23 years old and helped establish the Santa Fe Institute. Now 86, he makes a striking claim: there is no theory of everything. Kauffman argues that biological evolution creates genuinely new possibilities that cannot be deduced from prior states—paralleling the ancient Chinese Tao more than Plato's Logos. He also believes he's found something new in quantum gravity (and, in his words, "genuinely huge"). He unveils it here for the first time.

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LINKS MENTIONED:
- Investigations [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/B00W0DHAH6?tag=toe08-20
- Stuart Kauffman's Books [Amazon]: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APT8XK
- A Third Transition In Science? [Article]: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article/13/3/20220063/89381/A-third-transition-in-science-A-third-transition
- Genetic Regulatory Mechanisms In Protein Synthesis [Paper]: https://www.gs.washington.edu/academics/courses/braun/55106/readings/jacob_and_monod.pdf
- Is Mind In Spacetime? [Paper]: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38969235/
- The World Is Not A Theorem [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.00284
- Origins Of Order [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0195079515?tag=toe08-20
- The Universal Constructor [Article]: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.157.3785.180.a
- Metabolic Stability And Epigenesis In Random Genetic Nets [Paper]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0022519369900150
- Antichaos And Adaptation [Article]: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24938683
- The Selfish Gene [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0199291152?tag=toe08-20
- Biological Organization As Closure Of Constraints [Paper]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022519315001009
- Physics And Philosophy [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0061209198?tag=toe08-20
- Combinatorial Chemistry: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/combinatorial-chemistry
- Connections [Series]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.484e32c5-60bd-4493-a800-e44fd0940312
- Gonen Ashkenasy's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7kP7Fi4AAAAJ
- Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-s
- Anna Ciaunica & Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA
- Plato's Cave [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PurNlwnxwfY
- "Is God A Taoist?" [TOE]: https://youtu.be/P-jh6tRh3Jw
- Chiara Marletto [TOE]: https://youtu.be/40CB12cj_aM
- John Donoghue [TOE]: https://youtu.be/dG_uKJx6Lpg
- Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/wbP0KjWm0pw
- Tim Palmer [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vlklA6jsS8A
- Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss
- Lee Smolin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uOKOodQXjhc
- Carlo Rovelli [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY
- Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE
- Richard Dawkins's Lecture: https://youtu.be/nfZMyJq6BBM

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Free ZWILLING Four Star Chef's Knife on your 3rd box ($144.99 value) + 10 Free Meals and your first box ship free with code CURTJHFZWL at https://hellofresh.yt.link/4u4Vh7m!

This is an interview with Oxford’s Timothy Williamson. He’s one of the most cited living philosophers, and simultaneously one of the most controversial (yet respected). He dismantles physicalism, solipsism, and reductionism––explaining why consciousness is philosophically overrated and why AI in its current form likely lacks genuine mental states. This will be a tour‐de‐force episode into all things related to looking deeply and fundamentally. If you’re interested in consciousness, free will, art, language, and meaning, I believe you’ll love this episode.

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SUPPORT:
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JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e

TIMESTAMPS:
- 00:00:00 - Vagueness & Sorites Paradox
- 00:07:12 - Identity, Physicalism, Non-Physicals
- 00:22:30 - Realism vs. Anti-Realism
- 00:29:50 - The Problem of Skepticism
- 00:35:40 - Cognitive Heuristics & Doubt
- 00:43:00 - Solipsism's Appeal & Pitfalls
- 00:50:00 - Solipsism: A Critique
- 00:57:30 - Pluralism & Consciousness
- 01:06:00 - AI, Mental States, Ontology
- 01:15:50 - Mind, Knowledge, Meaning
- 01:26:00 - Philosophical Heuristics
- 01:32:00 - Counterfactuals & Logic
- 01:38:00 - Personal Philosophy

LINKS MENTIONED:
- Overfitting and Heuristics in Philosophy [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Overfitting-Heuristics-Philosophy-Rutgers-Lectures/dp/0197779212
- Timothy Williamson's Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=IH-44VwAAAAJ&hl=en
- Sorites Paradox: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/sorites-paradox/
- Philosophical Investigations [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Philosophical-Investigations-Ludwig-Wittgenstein/dp/0631205691
- I Do Not Exist [Paper]: https://academic.oup.com/book/53296/chapter-abstract/422023005
- O'Shaughnessy Ventures: https://www.osv.llc/
- Barry Loewer & Eddy Chen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0
- Bas Van Fraassen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/lhpRAWxvY5s
- Matthew Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM
- Jennifer Nagel [TOE]: https://youtu.be/CWZVMZ9Tm7Q
- Leo Gura [TOE]: https://youtu.be/YspFR9JAq3w
- Iain McGilchrist [TOE]: https://youtu.be/M-SgOwc6Pe4
- The Consciousness Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/65yjqIDghEk
- Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/uk4NZorRjCo
- Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE
- Elan Barenholtz [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY
- Ben Goertzel & Joscha Bach [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xw7omaQ8SgA
- Claudia de Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8
- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0YRlQQw0d-4
- Elan Barenholtz & Will Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE
- Greg Kondrak [TOE]: https://youtu.be/FFW14zSYiFY
- Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8

SOCIALS:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs

Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries.

#science
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Host Curt Jaimungal launches #CORE1, a competition seeking high-level video explainers for physics, AI, and philosophy. If you're a researcher or student, you'll have a chance to win part of the $5,000 prize pool by sharing your technical expertise with the world.

For inquiries, email: [email protected]

TIMESTAMPS:
- 00:00 - Incentivizing Advanced Research Exposition
- 05:05 - Formalizing Pedagogical Evaluation Standards

LINKS:
- CORE1 FAQ: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/core
- CORE1 Submission Form: https://tally.so/r/xXrk1o
- CORE1 Discord Link: https://discord.com/invite/VdGFUYtPDS
- For Inquiries, email: [email protected]
- Constructive QFT: https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/constructive+quantum+field+theory
- Coleman-Mandula Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman%E2%80%93Mandula_theorem
- Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo
- Emily Riehl [TOE]: https://youtu.be/mTwvecBthpQ
- Summer of Math Exposition: https://some.3b1b.co/
- Scaling Laws for Neural Language Models [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2001.08361
- Elan Barenholtz [TOE]: https://youtu.be/A36OumnSrWY
- Elan Barenholtz & William Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE
- Joscha Bach & Karl Friston [TOE]: https://youtu.be/CcQMYNi9a2w
- Double Descent Demystified [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2303.14151
- Ted Jacobson on Diffeomorphism Invariance: https://youtu.be/r6kdHge-NNY
- Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo
- Barry Loewer & Eddy Chen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0
- 3Blue1Brown's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/3blue1brown
- Bas van Fraassen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/lhpRAWxvY5s
- Can Physics Explain Its Own Laws? [TOE]: https://youtu.be/0_Px5gbs9i0
- Max Tegmark [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-gekVfUAS7c
- Geoffrey Hinton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/b_DUft-BdIE
- Sir Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk
- Why I Don't Buy the Simulation Hypothesis [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3_lBPMc6JRY
- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY

SUPPORT:
- Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe
- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9
- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4

JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e

SOCIALS:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs

Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries.

#science
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Professor Bas van Fraassen argues science doesn't deliver literal truth about reality, meaning unobservable physics is merely a model. He also contends the self isn't a thing and that logic permits free will, ultimately sharing how he maintains faith in God without relying on metaphysics.

As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe

TIMESTAMPS:
- 00:00 - Reality vs. Appearance
- 08:40 - Scientific Realism vs. Anti-Realism
- 16:30 - The "No Miracles" Argument
- 22:26 - Common Sense Realism
- 27:54 - Trusting Instruments vs. Theories
- 34:22 - Kierkegaard's Call to Decision
- 41:50 - Determinism is a Model
- 48:50 - Sartre on Free Will
- 56:47 - Causation Doesn't Exist in Physics
- 01:05:47 - Language of Human Action
- 01:15:54 - Tarski's Limitative Theorems
- 01:23:50 - "I Am Not a Thing"
- 01:34:20 - Rejecting Analytic Metaphysics
- 01:40:17 - Does God Exist?
- 01:50:50 - Disagreement on Monty Hall
- 01:56:15 - Conversion to Catholicism

LINKS MENTIONED:
- The Scientific Image [Book]: https://amzn.to/499SA72
- Bas's Blog: https://basvanfraassensblog.home.blog/about-me-2/
- The Empirical Stance [Book]: https://amzn.to/3MWbKEK
- Bas's Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EBj6wCAAAAAJ&hl=en
- Bas's Published Books: https://amzn.to/3L0njdw
- Reality Is Not What It Seems [Book]: https://amzn.to/3YseMDe
- Matthew Segall [TOE]: https://youtu.be/DeTm4fSXpbM
- The "No Miracles" Argument: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-realism/#MiraArgu
- Bas On Closer To Truth: https://youtu.be/nQnQ9ndlYi4
- The Most Terrifying Philosopher I've Encountered [TOE]: https://youtu.be/BWYxRM__TBU
- Curt Reads Plato's Cave [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PurNlwnxwfY
- Avshalom Elitzur [TOE]: https://youtu.be/pWRAaimQT1E
- Formal Philosophy [Paper]: https://archive.org/details/formalphilosophy00mont/page/n5/mode/2up
- Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8
- Time And Chance [Book]: https://amzn.to/4qb6tru
- Aaron Schurger [TOE]: https://youtu.be/yDDgDSmfS6Q
- Nancy Cartwright's Published Work: https://www.profnancycartwright.com/publications/books/
- Tim Maudlin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fU1bs5o3nss
- Elan Barenholtz & Will Hahn [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ca_RbPXraDE
- On The Electrodynamics Of Moving Bodies [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/Einstein_graduate/pdfs/Einstein_STR_1905_English.pdf
- The 'Twin Earth' Thought Experiment: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hilary-Putnam#ref1204773
- Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/spIquD_mBFk
- The Nonexistent Knight [Book]: https://amzn.to/3XWxfrs
- Wolfgang Smith [TOE]: https://youtu.be/vp18_L_y_30
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Doesn't Understand What "Belief" Means [Article]: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/i-dont-use-the-word-belief-and-scientific
- The Monty Hall Problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem
- Daniel Dennett [TOE]: https://youtu.be/bH553zzjQlI
- Michael Dummett: https://iep.utm.edu/michael-dummett/
- How To Define Theoretical Terms [Paper]: https://www.princeton.edu/~hhalvors/teaching/phi520_f2012/lewis-theoretical-terms.pdf
- The Model-Theoretic Argument: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/realism-sem-challenge/model-theory-completeness.html
- Remembering Hilary Putnam [Article]: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/remembering-hilary-putnam-harvard-philosopher-and-religious-jew
- Hilary Lawson: https://www.hilarylawson.com/biography/
- Language Isn't Just Low Resolution Communication: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/language-isnt-just-low-resolution
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Sir Roger Penrose and Professor Ivette Fuentes analyze the Ron Folman T-cubed experiment and whether the equivalence principle holds in quantum mechanics. They also detail gravity's role in wave function collapse, the existence of gravitons, and cyclic cosmology.

SPONSORS:
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SUPPORT:
- Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe
- Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9
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JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e

TIMESTAMPS:
- 00:00:00 - The Ron Folman Experiment
- 00:08:12 - Quantum Equivalence Principle
- 00:15:00 - Gravitational Wavefunction Collapse
- 00:25:14 - Active vs. Passive Gravity
- 00:33:40 - Bose-Einstein Condensate Tests
- 00:44:30 - Do Gravitons Exist?
- 00:56:02 - Evidence Before the Big Bang
- 01:04:11 - Testing Collapse Models

LINKS MENTIONED:
- Ivette’s Website: https://ivettefuentes.weebly.com/
- Ivette’s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=W7-xksIAAAAJ&hl=en
- Roger’s Published Papers: https://inspirehep.net/authors/993859
- Human Test: How Predictability, Creativity, And The Quantum Mind Will Redefine Life In The Age Of AI [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Human-Test-Predictability-Creativity-Redefine/dp/149308920X
- The Equivalence Principle: https://www.britannica.com/science/equivalence-principle
- Nikita Nekrasov [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PH0CzN5qspI
- Exploring The Unification Of Quantum Theory And General Relativity With A Bose-Einstein Condensate [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1812.04630
- Jacob Barandes & Manolis Kellis [TOE]: https://youtu.be/MTD8xkbiGis
- Observation Of The Quantum Equivalence Principle For Matter-Waves [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.14535
- Claudia de Rham [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Ve_Mpd6dGv8
- Markus Aspelmeyer’s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DH7xfEgAAAAJ&hl=en
- Hendrik Ulbricht Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6d15M50AAAAJ&hl=en
- Ron Folman’s Lecture: https://youtu.be/uVN7zapPtvw
- Ivette’s Solo Interview [TOE]: https://youtu.be/YWbjI-QsH2E
- Roger’s Solo Interview [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk
- Cumrun Vafa [TOE]: https://youtu.be/kUHOoMX4Bqw
- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8
- Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6Z_p3viqW1g
- Alexia Lopez’s Published Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=PaPfR4sAAAAJ&hl=en
- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/ZUp9x44N3uE
- Alexia Lopez’s Lecture: https://youtu.be/-zkGk6EPMC8
- A Big Ring On The Sky [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2402.07591
- The DP Model: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Diosi-Penrose-DP-model-of-gravity-related-wave-function-collapse-a-According-to_fig1_344161033
- Underground Test Of Gravity-Related Wave Function Collapse [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2111.13490
- Curt’s Talk With Roger On IAI: https://youtu.be/VQM0OtxvZ-Y
- Ron Folman’s T Cube Experiment: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.03879
- Carlo Rovelli [TOE]: https://youtu.be/hF4SAketEHY
- Fay Dowker [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PgYHEPCLVas
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