Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

• Harvard Scientist Rewrites the Rules of Quantum Mechanics | Scott Aaronson Λ Jacob Barandes

  Join Curt Jaimungal as he welcomes Harvard physicist Jacob Barandes, who claims quantum mechanics can be reformulated without wave functions, alongside computer scientist Scott Aaronson. Barandes’ “indivisible” approach challenges the standard Schrödinger model, and Aaronson offers a healthy dose of skepticism in today's theolocution. Are we on the cusp of a radical rewrite of reality—or just rebranding the same quantum puzzles? 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 Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 05:40 The Power of Quantum Computing 36:17 The Many Worlds Debate 1:09:05 Evaluating Jacob's Theory 1:13:49 Criteria for Theoretical Frameworks 1:17:15 Bohmian Mechanics and Stochastic Dynamics 1:18:51 Generalizing Quantum Theory 1:22:32 The Role of Unobservables 1:31:08 The Problem of Trajectories 1:39:39 Exploring Alternative Theories 1:50:29 The Stone Soup Analogy 1:56:20 The Limits of Quantum Mechanics 2:01:57 The Nature of Laws in Physics 2:14:57 The Many Worlds Interpretation 2:22:40 The Search for New Connections Links Mentioned: - Quantum theory, the Church–Turing principle and the universal quantum computer (article): https://www.cs.princeton.edu/courses/archive/fall04/cos576/papers/deutsch85.pdf - The Emergent Multiverse (book): https://amzn.to/3QJleSu Jacob Barandes on TOE (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWip00iXbo&t=1s&ab_channel=CurtJaimungal - Scott Aaronson on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZpGCQoL2Rk - Quantum Theory From Five Reasonable Axioms (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0101012 - Quantum stochastic processes and quantum non-Markovian phenomena (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2012.01894 - Jacob’s “Wigner’s Friend” flowchart: https://shared.jacobbarandes.com/images/wigners-friend-flow-chart-2025 - Is Quantum Mechanics An Island In Theory Space? (paper): https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/island.pdf - Aspects of Objectivity in Quantum Mechanics (paper): https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/223/1/Objectivity.pdf - Quantum Computing Since Democritus (book): https://amzn.to/4bqVeoD - The Ghost in the Quantum Turing Machine (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1306.0159 - Quantum mechanics and reality (article): https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article/23/9/30/427387/Quantum-mechanics-and-realityCould-the-solution-to - Stone Soup (book): https://amzn.to/4kgPamN - TOE’s String Theory Iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4PdPnQuwjY - TOE’s Mindfest playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ7ikzmc6zlOPw7Hqkc6-MXEMBy0fnZcb Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science #theoreticalphysics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:42:14
• The Science of New States of Consciousness | Andrés Gómez Emilsson

  Andrés Gómez Emilsson, director of the Qualia Research Institute and a pioneering researcher in the mathematical study of consciousness, explores the nature of awareness from both philosophical and scientific angles. He recounts his journey that led to founding the Qualia Research Institute—aimed at reducing suffering and enhancing experience. He discusses the transformative potential of psychedelics, the view of the self as a series of experiences, and how sensory resonance ("impedance matching") shapes our awareness. 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 Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Timestamps: 00:00 The Most Important Problem 01:49 The Hard Problem and Ontologies 05:15 Journey into Consciousness 09:06 The Qualia Research Institute 10:49 Shattering Realities 17:12 Happiness vs. Meaning 19:15 Defining Happiness 25:28 Psychological Egoism 33:45 Understanding Consciousness 38:01 The Qualia Research Institute's Goals 49:21 Exploring Impedance Matching 58:25 The Dance of Dissonance 1:03:22 The Nature of Suffering 1:10:32 The Concept of Oneness 1:17:02 Zero Ontology Explained 1:27:20 The Nature of Reality 1:28:57 The Self and Sense of Self 1:30:53 Stages of Consciousness 1:37:35 Transformations in Consciousness 1:46:20 The Role of Psychedelics 2:02:01 Exploring 5-MeO-DMT 2:21:03 Psychedelics and Buddhist Philosophy 2:45:32 Insights on Jhana States 2:51:31 Conclusion and Reflections Links Mentioned: - Qualia Research Institute (website): https://qri.org/ - Andres’s Qualia profile: https://qri.org/people/andr%C3%A9s-g%C3%B3mez-emilsson - David Chalmers’s 2024 presentation at Mindfest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r9V1ryksnw - Bernardo Kastrup on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAB21FAXCDE - The Hedonistic Imperative (book): https://amzn.to/3Di7Xx5 - Why Does Anything Exist? (book): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Does-Anything-Exist-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0DKBHMC3C - Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha (book): https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Core-Teachings-Buddha-Unusually/dp/1911597108 - Andres on The DemystifySci Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjWDURKNe2Q - ‘Replications’ group on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/replications/ - Stuart Hameroff’s Mindfest presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_bQwdJir1o - The Doors of Perception (book): https://amzn.to/4ijduTb - From Neural Activity to Field Topology (article): https://qualiacomputing.com/2025/02/09/from-neural-activity-to-field-topology-how-coupling-kernels-shape-consciousness/ - Seeing That Frees (book): https://amzn.to/43fm15m - Practicing the Jhanas (meditation series): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO6hhaAzLmiqUzBYuLLJQ8FexOTRxz8xF - The Dalai Lama, Psychedelics & Cher (article): https://tricycle.org/article/dalai-lama-psychedelics-cher/ - Advice to Sigālaka (article): https://suttacentral.net/dn31/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science #consciousness #mind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:56:01
• Academia's Darkest Secret: The Graduate Student Crisis... | Tyler Cowen

  In today's episode of Theories of Everything, Tyler Cowen proposes that tariffs erode economic efficiency, ultimately passing much of the burden onto smaller countries such as Canada. Moreover, he suggests that the rise of AI and evolving institutional structures demand both intellectual humility and stronger mentorship for a more resilient academic landscape. 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 Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Links Mentioned: - Tyler’s website: https://tylercowen.com/ - Tyler’s blog: https://marginalrevolution.com/ - Tyler’s podcast: https://conversationswithtyler.com/ - Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World (book): https://www.amazon.com/Talent-Identify-Energizers-Creatives-Winners/dp/1250275814 ---------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Tariffs and Trade Policies 01:21 Economic Consequences of Tariffs 03:07 Canada as a 51st State? 04:00 Canada's Defense Spending Debate 05:41 Positive Aspects of Hostility 06:35 Transitioning to Theoretical Economics 08:07 The Role of Tenure 11:43 The Academy's Strengths 13:04 Problems in Academia 14:08 Understanding the Grant System 15:10 The Need for Grants 16:33 Is the Academic System Broken? 17:18 Improving the Academic System 17:47 The Role of AI in Academia 22:39 Exploring Deep Research 29:32 Writing as Thinking 31:53 Truth in Worldviews 33:22 Patchwork Theory of Reality 34:11 Economics and Theories of Everything 35:07 Disagreements Among Intelligent People 37:48 The Concept of Metarationality 45:10 Cultivating Metarationality 46:55 Distinction Between Stamina and Grit 49:03 Risk-Taking in Academia 51:28 Interviewing Style 56:28 The Value of Preparation 1:13:33 Critiquing Nassim Taleb 1:18:23 Public Debates vs. Private Discussions 1:20:46 Focus on Money 1:22:45 Healthy vs. Unhealthy Ambition 1:23:49 Complexity in Theories of Everything 1:24:39 The Importance of Mentoring 1:26:08 Current Projects and Interests 1:31:15 Advice for Students 1:32:39 The Future of Networking 1:32:53 Closing Thoughts and Reflections -------------------- Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #economy #science #technology #news #tariffs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  1:37:12
• The Complete Consciousness Iceberg | 2 Hours of Obscure Consciousness Theories Explained

  Welcome to the complete Iceberg of Consciousness. 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 Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join --------------------- LAYER 1 01:31 – Introduction to Layer 1 01:38 – What Is Consciousness? 04:20 – The Mind-Body Problem 06:02 – Sleep, Dreams, and Altered States 08:53 – Free Will vs. Determinism 10:58 – The Self and Identity LAYER 2 12:56 – Introduction to Layer 2 13:02 – The Hard Problem of Consciousness 16:59 – Qualia and Phenomenal Consciousness 19:27 – Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism) 22:59 – John Vervaeke’s Relevance Realization 24:45 – Panpsychism and the Combination Problem 26:58 – Buddhist Consciousness (Yogācāra & Madhyamaka) 29:04 – Global Workspace Theory 31:59 – Carl Jung’s Explanation for Consciousness LAYER 3 36:03 – Introduction to Layer 3 36:47 – Heidegger’s Concept of Dasein 39:28 – Attention Schema Theory (Michael Graziano) 42:53 – EM-Field Topology & Boundary Problem (Andrés Gómez Emilsson) 46:49 – Joscha Bach’s Theory 53:41 – Donald Hoffman’s Theory 57:47 – Nir Lahav’s Relativistic Consciousness LAYER 4 01:05:46 – Introduction to Layer 4 01:06:25 – Douglas Hofstadter’s Strange Loops 01:11:50 – Penrose’s Quantum Consciousness 01:16:04 – Christopher Langan’s CTMU 01:20:31 – Johnjoe McFadden’s CEMI Field Theory 01:24:24 – David Chalmers’ Extended Mind Hypothesis 01:29:18 – Iain McGilchrist’s Relational Dual-Aspect Monism LAYER 5 01:33:04 – Introduction to Layer 5 01:34:35 – Bernardo Kastrup’s Analytic Idealism 01:38:54 – Karl Friston’s Enactive Approach / Free Energy Principle 01:42:12 – Alfred North Whitehead’s Pan-Experientialism 01:46:56 – Mark Solms’ Felt Uncertainty & Affective Theory 01:51:20 – Thomas Metzinger’s Minimal Phenomenal Selfhood --------------------- Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science #consciousness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:08:20
• "There is No Quantum Multiverse" | Jacob Barandes

  In this episode, Curt Jaimungal speaks with Jacob Barandes, a theoretical physicist from Harvard, about the complexities of quantum mechanics. They explore wave-particle duality, Jacob's reformulation of quantum theory through indivisible stochastic processes, and the historical perspectives of figures like Schrödinger and Einstein. 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 Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Links Mentioned: •⁠ ⁠Watch Part 1 of this conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaS1usLeXQM •⁠ ⁠Jacob’s talks covering many of his points in this conversation: https://www.youtube.com/@JacobBarandesPhilOfPhysics •⁠ ⁠Jacob’s first appearance on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWip00iXbo •⁠ ⁠New Prospects for a Causally Local Formulation of Quantum Theory (Jacob’s paper): https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.16935 •⁠ ⁠The Stochastic-Quantum Correspondence (Jacob’s paper): https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.10778 •⁠ ⁠Schrodinger’s wave function paper (1926): https://github.com/yousbot/Quantum-Papers/blob/master/1926%20-%20E.%20Schrodinger%2C%20An%20Undulatory%20Theory%20of%20the%20Mechanics%20of%20Atoms%20and%20Molecules.pdf •⁠ ⁠The Born-Einstein Letters (book): https://www.amazon.com/Born-Einstein-Letters-1916-1955-Friendship-Uncertain/dp/1403944962/ •⁠ ⁠Probability Relations Between Separated Systems (paper) : https://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/schrodinger/Schrodinger-1936.pdf •⁠ ⁠John Bell on Bertlemann’s socks (paper): https://cds.cern.ch/record/142461/files/198009299.pdf •⁠ ⁠John Bell on the Einstein Podolsky Rosen paradox (paper): https://journals.aps.org/ppf/pdf/10.1103/PhysicsPhysiqueFizika.1.195 •⁠ ⁠Can Quantum-Mechanical Description of Physical Reality Be Considered Complete’? (paper): https://journals.aps.org/pr/pdf/10.1103/PhysRev.47.777 •⁠ ⁠Causation as Folk Science (paper): https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/003004.pdf Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 06:01 Wave-Particle Duality Explained 08:44 Distinctions Between Waves 10:36 Quantum Field Theory Insights 15:10 Research Directions in Quantum Physics 24:27 Challenges in Quantum Field Theory 31:38 Quantum Mechanics vs. General Relativity 35:47 Fluctuations in Spacetime 45:09 Probabilistic General Relativity 54:00 Bell's Theorem and Non-Locality 1:20:48 The Nature of Causation in Physics 1:23:52 Causation in Modern Science 1:30:26 Reichenbachian Factorization Debates 1:31:44 Bell's Theorem Evolution 1:35:45 Indivisible Stochastic Approach 1:38:17 Understanding Entanglement 1:42:28 Information and Black Holes 1:45:44 Phase Information Loss 1:49:03 Heisenberg and Copenhagen Interpretation 1:52:29 The Nature of Electrons 1:53:09 Exploring Open Research Questions 1:59:09 Probabilities in Statistical Mechanics 2:11:30 Problems with Many Worlds Interpretation 2:27:42 Challenges of Probability in Many Worlds 2:35:14 The Case for a New Interpretation 2:43:11 Building a Collaborative Reputation Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science #quantummechanics #quantumphysics #physics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:54:41

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