The answer to life, the universe, and everything

[Cypress]

My favorite physicist discusses the best explanation we have for the fundamental nature of the universe.

The problem with quantum mechanics:
it is a great predictive tool, but we do not even understand it at a rigorous level, nor do we know whether or not it actually tells us anything true about the fundamental nature of reality.

 

[NiftyNiblick]

We needn't know the origin nor the consistency of the universe to clearly see that it was unnecessary, however.

As great as the rewards can sometimes be, they never adequately compensate the travails.

 

[Cypress]

We needn't know the origin nor the consistency of the universe to clearly see that it was unnecessary, however.

As great as the rewards can sometimes be, they never adequately compensate the travails.

I have no opinion on the necessity and inevitability of the universe --- my human mind is only marginally evolved past a chimpanzee's to ever hope to comprehend the nature of all things.

The goals I set for humankind more modestly in the next 50 years is to answer these questions: Is there a grand unified theory of forces? What is dark energy and dark matter? Is there a multiverse? What, if anything, does the quantum wave function collapse tell us about objective reality?

After that, we need prominent psychologists to unravel why conservatives seem genetically hostile to science and inductive reason.

 

[NiftyNiblick]

I have no opinion on the necessity and inevitability of the universe --- my human mind is only marginally evolved past a chimpanzee's to ever hope to comprehend the nature of all things.

The goals I set for humankind more modestly in the next 50 years is to answer these questions: Is there a grand unified theory of forces? What is dark energy and dark matter? Is there a multiverse? What, if anything, does the quantum wave function collapse tell us about objective reality?

After that, we need prominent psychologists to unravel why conservatives seem genetically hostile to science and inductive reason.

I am mildly curious about the source of sub-atomic particles. From there on, it all falls into place for me. Random confluence.

Even as a secular person secure in my atheism, though, I still hope to God that I don't have to be around another fifty years to think about it.

If I actually lived into my 120s, my brain would be functioning barely above trumpanzee level.

 

[Cypress]

I am mildly curious about the source of sub-atomic particles. From there on, it all falls into place for me. Random confluence.

Even as a secular person secure in my atheism, though, I still hope to God that I don't have to be around another fifty years to think about it.

If I actually lived into my 120s, my brain would be functioning barely above trumpanzee level.

It is really the questions which matter more than the answers.

Physicists at the end of the 19th century were strutting around because they thought Newton, Maxwell, and Faraday had figured it all out, and all that was left to do was tying up some loose ends to the state of human knowledge.


The problem was, they were not asking the right questions.

 

[NiftyNiblick]

It is really the questions which matter more than the answers.

Physicists at the end of the 19th century were strutting around because they thought Newton, Maxwell, and Faraday had figured it all out, and all that was left to do was tying up some loose ends to the state of human knowledge.


The problem was, they were not asking the right questions.

Keep up the quest, then. It' a good thing.
I'm far from anti-intellectual. I'm just tired.