Why This Universe? Podcast By Dan Hooper Shalma Wegsman cover art

Why This Universe?

Why This Universe?

By: Dan Hooper Shalma Wegsman
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 The biggest ideas in physics, broken down. Join theoretical physicist Dan Hooper and co-host Shalma Wegsman as they answer your questions about dark matter, black holes, quantum mechanics, and more. Part of The University of Chicago Podcast Network.© 2024 Why This Universe? Astronomy Astronomy & Space Science Physics Science
Episodes
  • AUA: Changing Dark Energy, Twin Paradox, and What's Next for CERN

    AUA: Changing Dark Energy, Twin Paradox, and What's Next for CERN
    May 2 2025

    We answer your questions. To listen to our backlog of ask-us-anything episodes for free, head to our Patreon, or join for $3/month to submit your questions: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse
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    54 mins
  • AUA: The Early Universe, Quantum Interpretations, and Asteroids

    AUA: The Early Universe, Quantum Interpretations, and Asteroids
    Mar 9 2025
    To listen to our backlog of past ask-us-anything episodes for free, head to our Patreon, or join for $3/month to ask us questions: https://www.patreon.com/whythisuniverse
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    29 mins
  • 92 - What Cosmology Has in Store for 2025 (Ft. Dan Scolnic)

    92 - What Cosmology Has in Store for 2025 (Ft. Dan Scolnic)
    Jan 13 2025
    Learn what exciting cosmology results and potential discoveries await us in 2025! For exclusive ask-us-anything episodes, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverse. Our merch is available here: https://www.shalmawegsman.com/why-this-universe
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    46 mins
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I listened to this episode and I started thinking about the hard problem. it is obvious a lot of philosophers think that the hard problem is a worthy project, but I'm trying to understand the concept of the hard problem as a legitimate thing to figure out. We see the same mystery played out with the emergent phenomenon of society. Politicians, law enforcement, bankers all have societal positions and relevance that are completely separate from the way water condenses into clouds, but if water did not condense into clouds then those emergent structures wouldn't exist. However, intention can still be found in these emerging structures. The gap between objective and subjective might just be a fundamental rule, much like the way we will never have a complete version of mathematics as Godol found out. so we will never have a complete version of mathematics, so what? How does that in any way make that fact profound? Light acts as both a particle and a wave, we can appreciate the epiphany of that realization without attaching any divine significance to it. I know it's hard being human, but whatever made the universe was not. That being said, the universe that we live in seems to be made on exploitation of emergent structures. This fascination with the hard problem seems like Matt Ridley's Lucretian swerve.

does the hard problem really exist?

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Excellent blend of science, history of ideas, and philosophy of science. One of my absolute favorites.

Best physics podcast

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