How Philosophy Can Help Physics | a philosopher helps Carlo Rovelli with the conceptual problems of quantum loop theory

Hi! I went to a liberal arts college and completed a double major in physics and philosophy (and a third major in religious studies, were that allowed), then did graduate work in the philosophy of religion.

For what it's worth, I think your goal is quite lofty, indeed unrealistic. It sounds somewhat cynical, but I find it--ahem--doubtful that nearly any philosopher near the top of his/her field could even be taught quantum mechanics beyond a vague, conceptual level, just as I find it nearly impossible that a theoretical physicist would be able to deftly maneuver between science and philosophical terminology or nuanced uses of specific words (eg, "energy" in this podcast is just not understood as a physicist uses the word).

I don't mean to sound overly pessimistic about such an endeavor, but it's really, really much harder than it seems to learn both at a high enough level to have productive versions of the conversations this podcaster wants to have. Indeed, the podcaster seems to reinforce my point here.

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