HLF Laureate Portraits: Edward Witten

The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation presents the HLF Laureate Portraits: Edward Witten; Fields Medal, 1990.
Interview recorded in 2019.
In this series, join us as we meet with the top mathematicians and computer scientists - recipients of the Abel Prize, the ACM A.M. Turing Award, the ACM Prize in Computing, the Fields Medal, the IMU Abacus Medal and the Nevanlinna Prize. Marc Pachter (Director Emeritus of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute) sits down with the laureates to discuss their lives, their research, their careers and the circumstances that led to their awards. These interviews were produced for the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation by the Berlin photographer Peter Badge.
The opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect the views of the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation or any other person or associated institution involved in the making and distribution of the video.
Background:
The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) annually organizes the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), which is a networking conference for mathematicians and computer scientists from all over the world. The HLFF was established and is funded by the German foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung (KTS), which promotes natural sciences, mathematics and computer science. The HLF is strongly supported by the award-granting institutions, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM: ACM A.M. Turing Award, ACM Prize in Computing), the International Mathematical Union (IMU: Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal, Nevanlinna Prize), and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (DNVA: Abel Prize). The Scientific Partners of the HLFF are the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) and Heidelberg University.
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[@edwardjones2202]

Witten leaving this interview: "Jesus Christ I thought i was the one with poor interpersonal skills"

[@pairadeau]

Many interviewers perpetually have this problem of not knowing when not to talk. This is a very important skill in my opinion.

[@dabulls1g]

Can’t imagine ed has much time to dilly dally around with these questions, the interviewer might be rushing this to get all the questions in and, in turn, stepping on ed’s heels. It sucks but I’d rather have this than nothing.

[@connyespersen3017]

I agree

[@mihaelciolacu7283]

It is one of the vital life skills you need to acquire!

[@daltanionwaves]

This dude has a poor ability to interview or even make conversation. Maybe he came into the position of putting on this interview for reasons other than those that would facilitate a high quality interview. Last minute cancellation or somebody was sick or something.

[@Franciscasieri]

He should have submitted the questions beforehand and let perhaps the greatest mind existing today answer them so we don't have to hear his voice....

[@Dr.scottcase88]

Every time I listen to Edward Whitten, I am in awe of his intelligence. I get the feeling during this interview that his mind was five steps ahead of the interviewer, and he was a bit impatient with the prolong time it took the interviewer to ask his questions, but he managed it without being condescending or arrogant. I have the highest respect for Dr. Witten, and only wish I had a small measure of the intelligence that he contains within himself. I suspect he may be one hell of a chess player :-)

[@coder-x7440]

Chess playing isn’t a sign of intelligence as much as it is a sign that one can appear intelligent. It’s never intelligent to waste resource.

[@criticalcog6363]

The interviewer either wasn't listening or understanding what Witten was saying much of the time, causing redundant questions. That was frustrating for me, so I imagine it had to be at least a little frustrating for him, lol.

[@Laz3rs]

one of the greatest living minds. thank you for this

[@chriskindler10]

absolutely. his contributions are incredible and I think it's just a matter of time until he receives the Nobel Prize for his work

[@tasos1112]

@@chriskindler10 i think that's highly unlikely. he's mainly known for his contributions to mathematical physics, for which he's been awarded a fields medal. there needs to be experimental confirmation of a certain theory or hypothesis to be awarded a nobel prize. case in point: einstein was actually awarded the nobel prize for his work on the photoelectric effect, and not relativity!

[@mikeysal231]

He’s like “bro I already told you I majored in history” and the interviewer comes back with “oh I thought that was in high school.” Really? Since when do we have majors in HS?

[@jmoreno600]

And yet on almost every job application there is a space for that.

[@ozzyperez3190]

Role model of our civilization.

[@mrzinister7766]

Soooo brilliant, yet so very humble & patient ! Thank you, I really enjoyed this !!!

[@professorboltzmann5709]

Great guy. One of my alive role models.

[@avieus]

A giant in the world of physics

[@LiLi19860712]

This interviewer might need to do a better homework on Witten’s background before the interview is conducted...

[@BILLY-px3hw]

The interviewer is Marc Pachter, it is hilarious because he has a Ted Talk called, "The Art of the Interview", seriously ridiculous

[@sticksman1979]

Lol. I'll give that one a pass.

[@NomenNominandum]

33:38 most important part

[@anubhav21dec]

It is indeed. You know, it's the most remarkable coincidence, lately I've been playing sudoku a lot and I noticed a striking similarity between the game and how scientific discoveries are made (especially in theoretical physics). And I was thinking that these parallels between the game and science arise because of all these special constraints this game has, science has similar constraints and as you take these constraints away (which happens in sudoku if you increase the level of difficulty) it becomes more and more difficult to solve the games. Why? Because YOU CAN NO LONGER SEE THE CONTRADICTIONS! So most of your time is spent in building different hypotheses and proving them wrong (as the game becomes more difficult). And to mg surprise, after finishing a game, I opened up KZbin and there it was, your extract of this video. Edward Written saying the harmonizing words. It's quite exciting to be honest. Haha.

[@ougoah]

The beginning of the interview is a bit of a trainwreck, but it gets better later in that the interviewer starts to let the interviewee speak more than a few words at a time.

[@simonsteindl8781]

Please (!),what is the name of the musical piece in the beginning?

[@shubhampatil4862]

He's just opposite of Shiraz Minwalla Indian string theorist. He never stops moving and Edward written doesn't move at all... Lol

[@rajeshrajesh-sn3op]

over action shiraz minwalla

[@liminal6823]

Dear Lex Fridman, please interview this man. Thank you.

[@anthead7405]

It's more Witten's decision than Lex's.

[@liminal6823]

@@anthead7405 What a *brilliant* observation. Well, that just puts me in my place doesn't it. Cheers.

[@novakdjokovis]

what is the alien ambient sound in the background lol?

[@reimannx33]

The interviewer is pushy and way too talkative.

[@osama810]

This interviewer man.

[@MrJamesLongstreet]

Witten seems to be ashamed and embarrassed when he has to mention that he was at first interested and into history in college. Interesting.

[@clapdrix72]

Yeah, as if he's in an interview for staff physicist or something. No one would dare scrutinize his pedigree - it's irrelevant at his level.

[@lucifer2133]

I think he was annoyed with the interviewer rather than ashamed. He seems to think that the History period is irrelevant.

[@holliswilliams8426]

I think he was a bit annoyed at the interviewer for bring up something irrelevant which happened a long time ago.

[@Bnelen]

To be fair, he explains the reasoning quite clearly, as to why he did not continue with those subjects. He mentions that it was not going to be his area of strength, due to the required interpersonal skills. I believe your notion is based on projection alone, but I could be wrong.

[@loren-emmerich]

I'll make you curious prof.Witten, i am a descendent from Witte de With, he was a dutch naval hero, concer the world wich is hard to do with CORVID-19 around.

[@baybydilly742]

true

[@monkerud2108]

turn the mic sensitivity down. the sound is shit.

[@keep_walking_on_grass]

Jesus, this is the 3rd video one nerd is asking E. WITTEN a question, and the question itself is about 98% of the entire "interview".

[@carlhopkinson]

The interviewer seems intimidated.

[@arnabchakraborty853]

The interviewer is just irritating...uff....spoiled the interview

[@gi99hf60]

No wonder he’s smart. Man’s head is huge!

[@1eV]

lmao

[@JUSTIN-bn6fn]

Ha ha, Fun fact Einstein Brain is quite Smaller than common size. It not the Skull size 😂or Even brain Size. It's All about the COORDINATION OF TRILLIONS OF NUERAL CONNECTIONS IN THAT SPECIFIC BRAIN REGIONS WHERE HIS MATHEMATICAL REASONING ARE PROCESSED. It too Difficult to Understand, Like Consciousness

[@Arpsie1]

This guy speaks in research paper

[@tobyaldape9885]

Wow Witten is bizarre. And I mean that in the best possible way.

[@whateveryh2119]

In what way?

[@sushimamba4281]

Goes with the 200+ IQ .

[@erickagarijo4542]

Joe Rogan brought me HERE.

[@tripp8833]

This is possibly the worst interview I’ve ever seen. The interviewer could at least have read his Wikipedia page at least, right? Takes like 2 seconds to do that.

[@sarthaktiwari3357]

What nonsense questions he is asking ....this should be the question 1) you studied history in your undergraduate course then how did you learn undergraduate level physics and mathematics that made you do your masters in applied mathematics? 2)most of the field medalists are child prodigy. They started doing Mathematics at very early age ...and they are quite ahead of children of their age ....then how did you manage to excel yourself to reach to this level that you became field medalist????

[@tripp8833]

Yeah, like he could have actually prepared for the interview. Like read his Wikipedia page at least. What a joke

[@sticksman1979]

I can't get through this 'interview' for the interviewer. Appalling.

[@davidwilkie9551]

Real e-Pi condensation coordination of dimensionality in orthogonal-normal axial-tangential quality-quanta of superimposed Superspin Modulation positioning, "There's yer problem", describing what, how and why logarithmic condensation wave-packaging formation is "believable" at all because of reciprocation-recirculation i-reflection reference-framing containment, is "Tricky", requiring a planet full of cooperative learning by doing integrated cause-effect of time-timing to "pull-off".

[@ryderbrooks1783]

What a wasted interview.

[@justice929]

poor listener, poor interviewer, interrupts too much...

[@holliswilliams8426]

Interviewer has not prepared at all, takes a few minutes to read his Wikipedia page.

[@tubalcain1039]

His statements about quark confinement still not being really well understood even today. He deflects people with great humour. Something surreal about him.

[@bernardofitzpatrick5403]

Exquisite subtlety 😂

[@davidwilkie9551]

Edward Witten's aptitude for a Librarian's use of language and broad bandwidth from literature in general, focusing on String Theoretical reasoning correlates, makes him the appropriate Consultant for a review and reiteration of the Quantum Operator Logic of GD&P Polar-Cartesian self-defining infinitesimal coordination of e-Pi-i omnidirectional-dimensional logarithmic condensation, resetting the conventional terms of AM-FM probability Mathematical Disproof Methodology Philosophy intended Accuracy, (ie replace the guessing thought experiment with a real-imaginary superposition statement). Or, there's a task for Witten Students to work with Susskind's Students?

[@derekledger8781]

Say What?

[@firsargentum5920]

Don't understand why people continually talk about Physics and Math as if they both separately came into being in the year dot by whatever mysterious process reality condensed from the nothingness. They are just 2 sides of the same coin - it seems obvious that math is just the language or formal framework that governs physical phenomena. Many journalists and non-scientifically trained folks like this interviewer continually make this assumption but more strangely, even many professional scientists continue to promulgate the idea.

[@paulfrunza]

one of the worst journalist doing this interview/

[@gabrielediubaldo4253]

great interview, terrible interviewer

[@leocmen]

Eric Weinstein brought me here...

[@declandougan7243]

Oh god, not that guy.

[@ShahryarKhan-KHANSOLO-]

That was one of the most awkward and cringy interviews I've ever seen. Interviewer was terrible. HLF should get a better person for the job honestly.

[@YAS-dn6xn]

get over yourself. listen rather to this outstanding human being something you probably did not and even if you did, you would not understand a horseshit of it

[@Wtahc]

@@YAS-dn6xn outstanding human answering shitty questions asked by an idiot

[@abhirama]

You're spot on. While I enjoyed listening to Prof. Witten, the interviewer lacked preparation to say the least ; not knowing Prof..Witten's advisor, for example.

[@robertpirsig5011]

It's not that his questions are all that bad iys just that the interviewer is trying to get a more personal view of witten and his life. However witten prefers not to get too personal. The interviewer didn't want to get too technical either so here we are.

[@firstal3799]

Incredibly reticent on his unfilled dreams due to 'lack of talent '.

[@legionreaver]

Dude needs to go on rogan

[@declandougan7243]

So we can see the absolute contrast between an ape and a fine human specimen?

[@WorldView22]

Terrible interviewer…

[@Simon-xi8tb]

If this guy is genius, what is Terrence Tao , a God ?

[@whateveryh2119]

Yes

[@UseQPixinDune]

Witten is a lot more important to recent developments in Physics than Tao is to those made in mathematics

[@Simon-xi8tb]

@@UseQPixinDune Hmm, I am not sure about that buddy. Tao made huge leaps in math AND quantum physics.

[@whateveryh2119]

@@Simon-xi8tb what huge leaps had tao made in quantum mechanics?

[@perfectoid8376]

@@Simon-xi8tb what😂? Tao works on quantum physics but he has not made any huge contribution to the field while this guy has made huge contributions to pure math and physics. This is not to lessen tao in any way but if you're one of those who compares people like based on their mathematical prowess then I would say they are both on the same level. Tao made greater contributions in pure math while Edward witten made greater contributions to physics

[@FrancoisHollande-gi4mk]

ED WITTEN IS A GENIUS.

[@terry_swd]

The interviewer is not good at all. Let Witten speak for gods sake, lol.

[@chriskindler10]

this was one of the worst interviews I have ever seen and the problem was certainly not Witten