Cumrun Vafa: Is String Theory Actually Science? (#368)

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

Brian Keating

Science, Physics, Natural Sciences

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2023

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Many argue that string theory cannot be proven and should therefore be abandoned. For them, string theory is not science at all. But are they right? Here to discuss these claims with me is none other than Cumrun Vafa! Cumrun is the Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the Department of Physics at Harvard University, where he has been researching and teaching theoretical physics since 1985. His primary area of research is string theory. In our interview, we discussed why we should trust String Theory, Fine Tuning, and the message he'd put into a billion-year time capsule. We also talked about his recently released book Puzzles to Unravel the Universe. Tune in! Key Takeaways: Intro (00:00) Judging a book by its cover (01:04) What is a puzzle versus a mystery? (03:37) Is string theory actually science? (10:37) Dimensional analysis (17:02) Singularities (19:41) ADS and 5 dimensions (27:04) Abandoning string theory (34:12) Supersymmetry (35:12) On religion (39:50) A scorecard for physics (52:18) What would your "ethical will" be? (56:51) What have you accomplished that once seemed impossible? (1:02:22) — Additional resources: 🥗 Thanks, HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/50impossible and use code 50impossible for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months. 📝 With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take one-on-one classes from the world’s best for $10 a month with your annual membership, get unlimited access to every class — and even better, right now, as an Into The Impossible listener, you can get 15% off when you go to MASTERCLASS.com/impossible. 🧑‍💻 Visit LinkedIn.com/IMPOSSIBLE to post your job for free! 📚 Puzzles to Unravel the Universe by Cumrun Vafa: https://a.co/d/iWnNDup 💻 Cumrun’s website: https://www.cumrunvafa.org/ ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/mailing_list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/blog.php 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	There is no best viewpoint and that best viewpoint is subject to the question.
0:04.6	We should not say this is the way to look at it, everything else is bad and so on and so forth.
0:08.9	Contradictory sounding views are sometimes necessary to understand the subject. Openness and the fact that duality
0:16.3	shows us that multitude of attitudes and views is important to appreciate and connect,
0:21.3	not only in a scientific context but in a broader human
0:24.7	society last week I think would have a good application.
0:28.8	Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
0:40.0	Open the pod bay doors now.
0:42.0	Welcome everybody to this edition of the Into the Impossible
0:45.0	Podcast. I am your fearful host, Brian Keating.
0:48.6	And today it is a great pleasure, a treat in fact for me to welcome none other than Come Run Vafa of Harvard University.
0:56.0	How are you, Come Run?
0:57.0	Thank you very much, Brian, for having your program.
1:00.0	It's a great pleasure.
1:01.0	I'm fine and looking forward to our discussions.
1:04.4	Yes, I've been just devouring your book, which we're going to talk a lot about today,
1:08.9	puzzles to unravel the universe.
1:12.1	And I've been fascinated with puzzles my whole life, mostly my
1:16.1	inability to solve them but you are noted for having made tremendous contributions
1:21.6	in the world of theoretical physics and this is your first popular
1:25.4	science book as I understand it and I always like to say there's a piece of advice that you never
1:30.8	should judge a book by its cover.
	...

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