Episode
#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
3:45:26
Published: Wed Oct 27 2021
Description
Stephen Wolfram is a computer scientist, mathematician, and theoretical physicist. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - ROKA: https://roka.com/ and use code LEX to get 20% off your first order - FightCamp: https://joinfightcamp.com/lex to get free shipping - Onnit: https://lexfridman.com/onnit to get up to 10% off - Indeed: https://indeed.com/lex to get $75 credit - Fundrise: https://fundrise.com/lex EPISODE LINKS: Stephen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephen_wolfram Stephen's Blog: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com Wolfram Physics Project: https://www.wolframphysics.org A New Kind of Science (book): https://amzn.to/30XoEun Fundamental Theory of Physics (book): https://amzn.to/30XbAoT PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (07:50) - What is complexity (20:51) - Randomness in the universe (25:12) - The Wolfram Physics Project (37:14) - Space and time are discrete (49:19) - Quantum mechanics and hypergraphs (58:33) - What is intelligence (1:09:16) - Computational equivalence (1:17:36) - What it is like to be a cellular automata (1:32:00) - Making prediction vs explanations (1:45:20) - Why does the universe exist (1:51:01) - The universe and rulial space (1:59:44) - Does an atom have consciousness (2:10:10) - Why does our universe exist (2:18:41) - What is outside the ruliad (2:29:15) - Automated proof systems (2:45:10) - Multicomputation for biology (3:03:41) - Cardano NFT collaboration with Wolfram Alpha (3:10:41) - Global theory of economics
Chapters
Learn how to get a great boxing workout in the comfort of your home using a freestanding punching bag.
00:00 - 03:21 (03:21)
Summary
Learn how to get a great boxing workout in the comfort of your home using a freestanding punching bag.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker talks about how he uses deep work sessions to solve difficult problems without becoming dependent on them.
03:21 - 08:06 (04:44)
Summary
The speaker talks about how he uses deep work sessions to solve difficult problems without becoming dependent on them. They also discuss the power of investment diversification.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Despite the assumption that simple programs result in simple behavior, a computational universe of possible programs shows that even simple programs can have complex behavior that is unexpected and challenging to comprehend.
08:06 - 15:44 (07:37)
Summary
Despite the assumption that simple programs result in simple behavior, a computational universe of possible programs shows that even simple programs can have complex behavior that is unexpected and challenging to comprehend. In scientific exploration, many unexpected results often emerge and studying them can lead to deeper understanding and insights.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast episode discusses the nature of randomness, particularly its importance in fluid mechanics, and how its presence or lack thereof can affect the validity of equations used in theories.
15:44 - 21:32 (05:48)
Summary
This podcast episode discusses the nature of randomness, particularly its importance in fluid mechanics, and how its presence or lack thereof can affect the validity of equations used in theories.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The question of why the universe exists is very complex and requires an understanding of what the universe is made of.
21:32 - 25:45 (04:13)
Summary
The question of why the universe exists is very complex and requires an understanding of what the universe is made of. However, through the study of fundamental physics it is possible to provide an explanation.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The physics Project at Fermilab is seeking to find evidence that space-time is not a smooth continuum, but made of indivisible atoms, just like matter.
25:45 - 35:41 (09:55)
Summary
The physics Project at Fermilab is seeking to find evidence that space-time is not a smooth continuum, but made of indivisible atoms, just like matter.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast episode, the speaker delves deeper into the nature of space-time and time.
35:41 - 41:47 (06:05)
Summary
In this podcast episode, the speaker delves deeper into the nature of space-time and time. They discuss the effects of gravitational waves and hypersonic flow and how space is made up of individual clumps of atoms rather than a continuous fluid.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The concept that space and time are the same is a folk tale that one has to break out of to understand the relationship between the two.
41:47 - 49:17 (07:29)
Summary
The concept that space and time are the same is a folk tale that one has to break out of to understand the relationship between the two. Our ability to understand causal relationships is limited by our position as observers within a system, as we can only observe a network of relationships between updated entities.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The concept of a branching universe that corresponds to quantum paths in quantum mechanics highlights the importance of considering multiple possible sequences of events when updating a hypergraph, emphasizing the critical role of quantum mechanics in our understanding of the universe.
49:18 - 55:00 (05:41)
Summary
The concept of a branching universe that corresponds to quantum paths in quantum mechanics highlights the importance of considering multiple possible sequences of events when updating a hypergraph, emphasizing the critical role of quantum mechanics in our understanding of the universe.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The notion of intelligence is not limited to human intelligence or even the artificial intelligence built by us.
55:00 - 1:00:12 (05:12)
Summary
The notion of intelligence is not limited to human intelligence or even the artificial intelligence built by us. Generalized intelligence is the concept of computational sophistication beyond the limits of conscious human experience.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The way we experience time and space causes us to deduce the laws of physics that we perceive exist.
1:00:12 - 1:06:26 (06:13)
Summary
The way we experience time and space causes us to deduce the laws of physics that we perceive exist. The constraints of our experience help us parse the universe in a way that corresponds to general relativity.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this transcript, the speaker discusses how humans have a particular way of parsing the universe and how often, we are not able to recognize the intelligence around us due to this limited view.
1:06:26 - 1:18:13 (11:46)
Summary
In this transcript, the speaker discusses how humans have a particular way of parsing the universe and how often, we are not able to recognize the intelligence around us due to this limited view. They also touch upon computational language and how to represent pieces of natural language in a way that humans can understand.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses how uploading brain synapses and developing brain simulators can aid in understanding consciousness and utilizing quantum mechanics.
1:18:13 - 1:23:23 (05:10)
Summary
The podcast discusses how uploading brain synapses and developing brain simulators can aid in understanding consciousness and utilizing quantum mechanics. The use of virtual reality can provide an immersive experience for users, and in the future, could even blur the lines between reality and simulation.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Stephen Wolfram explains how branching universes are getting closer to mechanically explaining what happens in quantum mechanics as well as how computation in branchial space can recreate oneself as they move around the universe.
1:23:23 - 1:29:28 (06:05)
Summary
Stephen Wolfram explains how branching universes are getting closer to mechanically explaining what happens in quantum mechanics as well as how computation in branchial space can recreate oneself as they move around the universe.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
There is a possibility that with the relationship between the quantum Zeno effect and the way that many-body quantum mechanics works, it may be possible to figure out a way to measure the maximum entanglement speed and even have some suspicions about things that might happen in quantum computing.
1:29:28 - 1:38:36 (09:08)
Summary
There is a possibility that with the relationship between the quantum Zeno effect and the way that many-body quantum mechanics works, it may be possible to figure out a way to measure the maximum entanglement speed and even have some suspicions about things that might happen in quantum computing.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Theoretical physics presents a set of materials, and researchers use their own cleverness to find ways to measure something that fits the model accurately.
1:38:37 - 1:46:53 (08:16)
Summary
Theoretical physics presents a set of materials, and researchers use their own cleverness to find ways to measure something that fits the model accurately. One innovative approach, causal set theory, suggests that the universe is simply a series of random events in space and time, and all possible rules are applied to places in a hypergraph.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Our experience of the universe is based on where we are in Rulio space, meaning that different points in space will result in a different interpretation of the universe.
1:46:53 - 1:55:58 (09:04)
Summary
Our experience of the universe is based on where we are in Rulio space, meaning that different points in space will result in a different interpretation of the universe. This implies that there might be a continuous flow of time as well as history.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this episode, the speaker explores the concept of monads and how it relates to hypergraphs, and discusses the idea of the immortal soul and its relationship with physics.
1:55:58 - 2:00:54 (04:55)
Summary
In this episode, the speaker explores the concept of monads and how it relates to hypergraphs, and discusses the idea of the immortal soul and its relationship with physics.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The human consciousness can sometimes be frustratingly difficult to understand because of its complexity.
2:00:54 - 2:09:42 (08:48)
Summary
The human consciousness can sometimes be frustratingly difficult to understand because of its complexity. While it feels like a unified entity, it is actually composed of various systems and cells that work together and can be disconnected in a causal graph.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The Rouliad object in mathematics is a necessary object, purely formal in nature.
2:09:44 - 2:14:06 (04:22)
Summary
The Rouliad object in mathematics is a necessary object, purely formal in nature. It is not picked as a particular thing, but a thing that necessarily is that way based on the meaning of the terms used.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
All possible formal rules create an entangled structure that produces a definite structure, experienced by an entity as physics within our universe.
2:14:06 - 2:19:27 (05:20)
Summary
All possible formal rules create an entangled structure that produces a definite structure, experienced by an entity as physics within our universe.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this episode, Lex Fridman talks about the metamathematical space and formalized mathematics that encourage mathematicians' perception of having integrity and lack of underside quality.
2:19:27 - 2:27:58 (08:30)
Summary
In this episode, Lex Fridman talks about the metamathematical space and formalized mathematics that encourage mathematicians' perception of having integrity and lack of underside quality. He also explains how different formalized mathematical systems have different axioms, but they can all prove Pythagoras's theorem.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In mathematics, there aren't infinite length proofs, whereas in physics, the universe can be wandered around forever until running into a black hole where time stops.
2:27:58 - 2:33:47 (05:49)
Summary
In mathematics, there aren't infinite length proofs, whereas in physics, the universe can be wandered around forever until running into a black hole where time stops. The interplay between concepts and theories, such as black holes and undecidability, can play a role in mathematics.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The guest explains his thoughts on the complexity of proof space and the similarities it holds with other mathematical structures, like Hilbert space.
2:33:47 - 2:39:40 (05:53)
Summary
The guest explains his thoughts on the complexity of proof space and the similarities it holds with other mathematical structures, like Hilbert space.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The observer of a multi-computational system only samples certain aspects of the incredible complexity going on, making it look like General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.
2:39:40 - 2:45:13 (05:33)
Summary
The observer of a multi-computational system only samples certain aspects of the incredible complexity going on, making it look like General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Chemical reactions can be thought of as computational processes where the input is the starting chemical, and the output is the desired end product.
2:45:13 - 2:51:29 (06:15)
Summary
Chemical reactions can be thought of as computational processes where the input is the starting chemical, and the output is the desired end product. The goal is to piece together a sequence of name reactions to achieve the desired molecule just like in computer programming.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Nils Jorner's theory of the immune system and the possibility of multicomputation in molecular biology are explored, with the potential for dynamic processes to produce results that may be overlooked by irrelevant observers.
2:51:29 - 3:01:22 (09:53)
Summary
Nils Jorner's theory of the immune system and the possibility of multicomputation in molecular biology are explored, with the potential for dynamic processes to produce results that may be overlooked by irrelevant observers.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Wolfram Language creator, Stephen Wolfram, discusses his goal of building an automated lab where the positions of the stripes of the primes can be determined through the use of software.
3:01:22 - 3:06:10 (04:48)
Summary
Wolfram Language creator, Stephen Wolfram, discusses his goal of building an automated lab where the positions of the stripes of the primes can be determined through the use of software.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Stephen Wolfram discusses the evolution of Wolfram Language, starting from its early days in the 1980s, its growth into different capabilities, and its present-day status as a language for multi-computation.
3:06:10 - 3:11:47 (05:36)
Summary
Stephen Wolfram discusses the evolution of Wolfram Language, starting from its early days in the 1980s, its growth into different capabilities, and its present-day status as a language for multi-computation.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The concept of developing a simplified system that simplifies the complicated space of transactions to plug into economics and deploy practical systems that could be useful for a distributed generalization of blockchain or the quantum analog of money is discussed.
3:11:47 - 3:16:39 (04:51)
Summary
The concept of developing a simplified system that simplifies the complicated space of transactions to plug into economics and deploy practical systems that could be useful for a distributed generalization of blockchain or the quantum analog of money is discussed.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This episode discusses how NFTs provide a permanent record of transactions due to the consistency of the blockchain, unlike traditional websites that require hosting fees to remain online.
3:16:39 - 3:25:22 (08:43)
Summary
This episode discusses how NFTs provide a permanent record of transactions due to the consistency of the blockchain, unlike traditional websites that require hosting fees to remain online.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker reflects on the challenge of proving correctness in the field of computer science and the frustration that can arise when building things that may not receive recognition until after one's death.
3:25:22 - 3:31:37 (06:15)
Summary
The speaker reflects on the challenge of proving correctness in the field of computer science and the frustration that can arise when building things that may not receive recognition until after one's death.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses the illusion of complexity when using computational models to analyze complex systems, highlighting the cognitive mistakes that can occur.
3:31:37 - 3:35:27 (03:50)
Summary
The speaker discusses the illusion of complexity when using computational models to analyze complex systems, highlighting the cognitive mistakes that can occur.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The two concepts that are the foundation of Wolfram's book are multi-computation and rheoliology, which both reveal the underlying structures and simplicity of complex models and systems.
3:35:27 - 3:40:11 (04:44)
Summary
The two concepts that are the foundation of Wolfram's book are multi-computation and rheoliology, which both reveal the underlying structures and simplicity of complex models and systems.
Episode#234 – Stephen Wolfram: Complexity and the Fabric of Reality
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Stephen Wolfram talks about the challenges of driving progress in basic science projects in academic settings, particularly in terms of translating pure NKS (New Science) research into concrete advancements, and compares it to the concept of pure mathematics.
3:40:11 - 3:45:23 (05:11)
Summary
Stephen Wolfram talks about the challenges of driving progress in basic science projects in academic settings, particularly in terms of translating pure NKS (New Science) research into concrete advancements, and compares it to the concept of pure mathematics.