Mindscape Ask Me Anything, Sean Carroll | April 2024

Patreon: / seanmcarroll
Blog post with audio player, show notes, and transcript: www.preposterousuniverse.com/...
Welcome to the April 2024 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreons, whittle them down to a more manageable number -- based primarily on whether I have anything interesting to say about them, not whether the questions themselves are good -- and sometimes group them together if they are about a similar topic. Enjoy!
Mindscape Podcast playlist: • Mindscape Podcast
Sean Carroll channel: / seancarroll
#podcast #ideas #science #philosophy #culture

[@davegrundgeiger9063]

2:21:33 "I promise that if I find evidence for aliens or god, I will make that known only to my Patreon supporters." 🤣🤣🤣

[@Cytropical-dk7wp]

Wake up babe, new Sean Carroll ama dropped. (Proceeds to dance to intro jingle)

[@BrianFedirko]

Sean's world view, especially not accepting supernatural in any way, shape or form is unmatched. A true scientific thinker who has freewill and understanding at the basic level of thought and matter. Gr8! Peace ☮💜Love

[@davegrundgeiger9063]

1:37:47 "The introduction of non-sphericity into your cows might be crucially important." 😆

[@damirhotlovac1214]

Please please make video podcasts! I'm a visual learner and just enjoy learning in video form!

[@GoatOfTheWoods]

We meet again, fellow Mindscapers for 3 hours full of brain treats

[@michaelkahama3459]

You have just echoed my mind . Pure intellectualgasms

[@WhataMensch]

If you want a brain treat try reading about where is daddy, the cool new AI system out of Israel.

[@IDFpartyboi972]

We have a new system you Brainiacs will love. its called where is daddy and it is a total treat.

[@thefxbip315]

A wild Aphex Twin fan appears!

[@null.och.nix7743]

Totally man . Nice logo ❤🎉

[@kx4532]

If we can find our way around, it sounds good.

[@koolguy728]

I'm now obsessed with the description of Ed Witten's quip about torsion theories as a "Delphic utterance"

[@TriuraniumOctoxide]

Good luck with the book release. Book 1 was great and filled a few gaps for me.

[@bryandraughn9830]

"They call it the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it!"----George Carlin

[@tallbudha]

Just letting you know Sean that I will be listening to you here on youtube. It is becoming increasingly difficult to listen to anything on Spotify without paying for the service. Thanks for making your incredible content available to us for free.

[@alevans51]

Much insight on so many issues. You are invaluable sir!

[@IDF_Child_Eraser]

Sean I love your work. Keep it up and I cant wait for the next podcast.

[@davegrundgeiger9063]

That last answer was chef's kiss.

[@d_s_x414]

You are an amazing person.

[@producer2123]

"Sorry about that, Chief" was a phrase that agent Maxwell Smart often humorously used in the 60s television series Get Smart starring Don Adams.

[@ajsmith7619]

Thanks Sean. You are marvellous.

[@smoogems]

That thumbnail 😂😂😂 Always kills me.

[@willwcbb]

Gets me hot and bothered

[@jean-philippegrenier120]

Good luck with the launch!

[@CorwynGC]

For Great Deceiver: Remember that all houses aren't priced at the average price. Most houses are more house than you need.

[@madderhat5852]

The final question was the most important in the world.

[@willwcbb]

What a physics gangster

[@andydavies5879]

Book sounds really interesting (and we could listen to your voice Sean from here to eternity!)

[@darianharrison4836]

great question and great answer at 15:40. The order of events is effectively lost when compressing data, the only way to know if there are any loops is by evaluating all the data until a loop is found (which may quickly become a computational/storage bottleneck). Otherwise a probability distribution (compressed representation) with some sampling scheme may lossily hint at the likelihood of there being a loop or not.

[@jonwolynies7465]

On macroscopic superpositions of cats awake/asleep (~ 1:18:55): I absolutely have seen a cat both awake and asleep simultaneously. Cats are unique in their capacity of sleepiwake.

[@DaxLLM]

I have a question... Do you think the discovery of gravitons will move us closer to a unified field theory?

[@deeptochatterjee532]

I did not expect Sean Carroll to be using "copium" that is absolutely hilarious. Us zoomers have gotten to you lmao

[@lukeskydropper]

More like zoobers

[@TelegobageProd]

Doc, do we actually know under which law of physics the atoms composing a human cell duplicate during mitosis for instance ?

[@jimgraham6722]

Thanks Sean, Do you think photons could be best considered as EM field solitons?

[@Animatthias]

Dear Sean, if the curvature of spacetime is affected by large masses and masses are determined by the interaction of particles with the Higgs field, wouldn't it make sense to assume that dark matter is a distortion in the Higgs field. I've heard that it's supposed to be isotrope, but maybe we are wrong about that? It would be great, if you could help me understand more about that! Thank you for your great content!

[@michaelvandenheuvel317]

Takes forever doesn’t it. Just follow along. Eventually.

[@deeptochatterjee532]

I think what Cory might have meant or been alluding to is that unitary representations of symmetries on Hilbert space must have invariant subspaces that are orthogonal to each other. Maybe Cory thought that was significant because we usually say observables are hermitian operators and their physically realizable states are the orthonormal eigenvectors? I can see why this realization feels significant because indeed if you think of all observables (or at least important observables) as arising from the Lie algebras of symmetry groups, then yeah this is exactly why we'd want Hermitian operators and orthonormal eigenvectors. So if you're out there Cory, let us know what you were thinking

[@sombh1971]

1:14:46 Would you or would you not agree that the universe is a block universe, and free will is incompatible with it? 1:20:32 Please explain how the Young's double slit experiment with single particles work in the paradigm of a decohering Many worlds scenario.

[@olyokie]

What will the Seattle Seahawks record be for the 2024 season? Also winning lotto numbers for next week in WA would be nice.

[@Gws525]

Crazy that I can listen to this, enjoy it, and yet understand literally nothing in it.

[@mrich2164]

when is Stephen Wolfram back on, best episode ever?

[@missh1774]

"who cares! I don't care!" 🤣 "No demon can stop me from moving my coffee cup" ... Thanks for the lol moment. 1:33:40 I like the home ownership dream. They say it's impossible at the surface layer but I think it just depends on how we reconstruct the energy distribution and values of a system. For example, buying a house doesn't necessarily mean it's a forever home or whatever. Nowadays buying a home is because you understand your position in the market and you have a responsibility to keep it updated. It may even require a new way to think about beneficiary in family dynamics or flexible life style choices. I don't know enough about the former yet but the later is more my cup of tea and view to perceive possibilities.

[@michaeljfigueroa]

Water boiles under vacuum at room temperature

[@michaeljfigueroa]

25 minutes in or so

[@Ph0_Q]

"Its gonna be May" - Justin Timberlake

[@vitaly2432]

You're saying that quantum mechanics is indeterministic. I've heard Lawernce Krauss on various occasions saying that it *is* deterministic. I'm sorry, but I don't get it. Who's right? Or, at least, who's probably closer to the truth? And why?

[@CorwynGC]

I recall Prof answering this by saying that the laws of physics taken over all the many worlds is deterministic. The world we live in is probabilistic at very least.

[@kx4532]

Beavis says Sorry about that

[@Heater-v1.0.0]

Does Physics exist? Well on the one hand, as long as I can drop rocks and measure the time it takes for them to hit the ground and other such simple experiments, as long as I can play with batteries and wires and magnets, as long as I can understand some mathematics that models what I am measuring then Physics will exist for me. How could I deny the reality I am observing or the mathematical logic in my mind? On the other hand, there is so much physics I have studied in university, and even more since then where I can no longer do the experiments myself and no longer understand the mathematics that describes it. At that point I might wonder if that physics exists or if it is just a story being told to me. How do I sensibly distinguish that physics from any religion or political dogma?

[@TheSlothBearPig]

❤️❤️❤️

[@BoyKhongklai]

Where are your glasses?

[@janiebratt8826]

Why does the algorithm keep serving this up?

[@Saintjackoftrades]

I don't think your argument against antinatalism is very solid. I don't want to give the arguments because the very simplest antinatalist arguments defeat it. But I get most people aren't well read on it. Anyway, you're amazing Dr Carroll. You're doing nothing but good for the world as far as I see. Thank you!

[@29BD29]

Is saying free will is compatible with the human experience kind of like saying the geocentric model is compatible with the human experience?

[@Heater-v1.0.0]

Seems to me all kind of ideas can be compatible with human experience, the flat Earth, God, ghosts, telepathy, etc, etc. As much as quantum mechanics, relativity, etc, etc. All depends which human you are, where and when and what your experience has been.

[@CorwynGC]

No. If it was, we would still be using that as a viable model. It isn't compatible because we have evidence that makes our credence very low.

[@Heater-v1.0.0]

@@CorwynGC Things is the geocentric model was compatible with human experience for a long time.

[@CorwynGC]

@@Heater-v1.0.0 The heliocentric model was compatible with human experience for a long time as well. And STILL is. What's your point.

[@Heater-v1.0.0]

@@CorwynGC My point is, as an example, until someone has the idea of the heliocentric model along with supporting evidence, human experience cannot have been compatible with it, it did not exist. The idea of the Earth riding on the back of turtle was as compatible with human experience all that time as well.

[@tjthreadgood818]

Non sequitur🤪: The universe is most definitely not contingent. … there are several reasons for this, but Parmenides would agree; at least he would insist that it’s impossible for nothing to exist, and so something must exist. And if we are to be egalitarian in this, then all things must exist, and all things includes our particular universe. Or does it? What is a thing. David Letterman used to have a segment called “Is this anything?” Most people would agree that anything that has specific well defined properties must be a thing. By that definition our universe is definitely a thing. So by Parmenides, together with existential egalitarianism, and a cursory nod to Dave, our specific universe must exist. So it is not contingent!

[@RickDelmonico]

The material reductionist must ignore a large number of clues because of a prevailing paradigm.

[@Liam-fu4ly]

🌚🌝

[@captainzappbrannagan]

Libertarian free will is dead. Other types of free will do but they aren't true. So I understand how people can be compatibilists because it seems real to us. Here are points I don't think Sean covers (or talks to at the higher level). 1. at an atom scale quantum effects are not changing the behaviours of atoms and molecules and their reactions and stability in our world. Nor do quantum effects have any demonstratable effect on neuron interactions and your thoughts. 2. general relativity says we live at a macro scale in a block universe. if you traveled back in time in our universe it would unfold as it did. The future depends on the choices of the past. 3. It is proven that the decisions you make are made before you are aware of them (subconscious is running the show for us) In a real way libertarian free will is dead, even with the quantum level probability being random. Though even at that level if the randomness is 99.9 % predictable, we can still predict the future very well if we have enough decimal points even if not perfectly.

[@CorwynGC]

I think all three of your points are wrong. 1) This is the point of Schrödinger's cat, it proves that quantum effects DO affect macro scale objects. 2) Since quantum effects are random, this is just wrong. 3) Subconscious decisions are still free will. Just because you aren't narrating to yourself as you make them doesn't make them not the product of your mind. Play lightning chess, sometime, you have no time for conscious thinking about moves but the best player still wins most of the time.

[@captainzappbrannagan]

@@CorwynGC even with your points there is no free will. think about it. quantum randomness is not under your control. If your subconscious makes decision your awareness and reasoning control centers are not driving, there is still no free will.

[@CorwynGC]

@@captainzappbrannagan What would thinking about it possibly do? That would take an act of free will, that you think I don't have. MY (can't speak for your) subconscious is fully capable of reasoning. This is how I am able to play speed chess, and drive, and fence. With the last, I WATCHED as things which required conscious control were moved to subconscious control as I improved.

[@captainzappbrannagan]

@@CorwynGC you really don't get it I doubt you ever will. Even if you had a smart subconscious, you don't control it. Therefore you don't have free will.

[@CorwynGC]

@@captainzappbrannagan of course I get it. You are missing my point. You seem to think that the universe has randomly determined that you have the right answer. I have used my free will and intellect and my well controlled subconscious to reason that you are wrong.

[@user-ob6cs4jb5z]

Can't wanted Any more NAME FOR 10 TOUSEND FOB BY UNGRATUET SOME ON STUPID , I HEARD YOURS , TROPICS, OUR CRVT S , HONERS , I DON'T WANTED MORE , THANKS THAT WAS TIME WAS MAYBE BANGLADESH TIME 4. 30 AM , ARAFAT VI CALLED ME , 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ XPREMENT

[@Akash-tp3wm]

My name is Akash. I need and must to score good marks in Maya. So please sir as soon as possible allow and tell to me 1) how we can create hut easily and fastly in maya for beginners. 2) how we can create stylised house easily and fastly in maya for beginners. 3) how we can create well easily and fastly in maya for beginners . And 4) how we can create curtains using ncloth in maya for beginners. Thank you sir.

[@WhataMensch]

I want to know your opinion on Gaza and Israel.

[@IDFpartyboi972]

Yes we want to know what you think about the US backing for Israel in this "war"

[@WhataMensch]

@@IDFpartyboi972 And can we talk about the "where is daddy" policy and attempting to bomb people in their homes so as to cause maximum carnage to civilians

[@bryandraughn9830]

Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't wanna live there.

[@lukeskydropper]

No

[@imdefault]

Irrelevant

[@nickmichalski8504]

Freewill is a biblical term. U cannot have freewill without God. Nor does freewill have anything to do with determinism....like free I'll isn't conscious choice or is it that if the entire universe. I can determine the deck of cards by shuffling it way I want. I know the cards I'm God. Now game is poker i deal cards. I can a) now make ur choices for u that not free will. I can write down in Bible how I want u to Play that's my will and ur choice. But ur will is u can act. Not choose persay on or off but u can bet....u have mant chips and u can use thm to bluff or all kinds of tactics In poker...and the fact I know the cards doesn't matter unless I'm playing with u but I'm just dealer. So caue God set it all potential outcomes doesn't mean u don't have choice....but freewill isn't choice it's to be free of puppet strings God would have tobl determine ur path.... Lol I'm not religious I'm just saying poorly if someone else knows what I'm saying can make point better please do

[@olyokie]

Religion is silly nonsense made up by folks who didnt know where the sun went at night…….

[@CorwynGC]

Lots of unsupported assertions there. Got any evidence for any of it?

[@olyokie]

@@CorwynGC Religious evidence? Hahahahahahaahahahhahahahahahaaahahahaah