Sabine Hossenfelder: Lost in Math

Join us for a virtual discussion with Sabine Hossenfelder, live-streamed direct from Frankfurt, Germany, about her concern that theoretical physicists have failed to make any major breakthroughs for more than four decades because they are obsessed with the goal that an accurate theory must be beautiful—at least to mathematicians.

Hossenfelder argues that when this belief in beauty becomes too dogmatic, it conflicts with scientific objectivity, and so may be interfering with our ability to understand black holes or why relativity theory and quantum mechanics have issues with each other. It may also be encouraging the pursuit of untestable string theory and supersymmetry explanations beyond what is scientifically useful (but which is still mathematically intriguing).

Hear why Hossenfelder is insisting, to the generation of theoreticians that preceded her, that progress will probably not be made until they conclude that physics isn’t math. It’s choosing the right math.

MLF ORGANIZER
George Hammond

NOTES
MLF: Humanities

TUE, APR 20 / 10:00 AM PDT
SPEAKERS

Sabine Hossenfelder
Research Fellow, Superfluid Dark Matter Group, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies; Blogger, "Backreaction"; Author, Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray

In Conversation with George Hammond
Author, Conversations With Socrates

[SuperRubess]

Hossenfelder is great and tremendously considerate with her interviewer, who apparently knows little about the subjects he proposed and did not care to prepare. Or is it yet another case of a white male feeling he has to demonstrate that he knows at least as much as his female interlocutor? What a pleasure to listen to Hossenfelder, what a tooth pull to have to listen to this man.

[carlwilson]

The interviewer is very good in keeping her from getting to really consequential matters.

[BBQDad]

He did the best he could. She was gracious and patient. All in all, this video was worth the watch.

[paulmargolis]

This interview really showed what a kind person you are. It was entertaining and educational and you really made the most of it. I am in awe!

[timelsen]

Having followed Sabine for some time made me enjoy this unscripted demonstration of the depth of her studies. Great presentation! Bravo, bravo, bravo to this great scientist and the range of topics today!

[dominickegan]

Guest deserved a better interviewer. She was so diplomatic and considerate throughout.

[eb]

Very enjoyable hearing clear explanations from Sabine.

(George Hammond needs to prepare, or some smarter and more educated should take over. It was blushing embarrassing that Sabine repeatedly needed to save him from drowning when he tried to throw himself into an ocean he clearly couldn’t comprehend.)

[mhzprayer]

I love a scientist who points out that empiricism is about proving a working theory until a better theory comes along, and thats all its designed to do. She's precise and honest and it's so refreshing.

[pontiacbob]

I admire Ms Hossenfelder's clarity and have watched many of her videos. I agree with others about questioning the reasoning behind using a humanities chair to perform interview!

[TheSpoonwood]

Wow, this has truly helped me ...sort of get closer to an understanding, in the most basic sense .... what I completely don't understand ....great interview questions, thank you.... I Love Sabine.

[chompsxbite]

I always loved her videos. She encounters very interesting topics.

[kjthompson]

It was informative even with a skittish method of questioning. The interview has convinced me to purchased Sabine's book.

[nemoest]

58:40 Minor correction:
Film was recorded 24 frames per second not 32 - it was then screened at twice the frames rate, every image displayed twice.
So unless you were using a Super 8 that was shooting at 16 frames per second (screened at 32) - film used "24 frames per second".

[mickhurley]

Why did the interviewer think that people wanted to listen to him more than Sabine.. what a waste of an hour. I gave up watching .

[elena]

Bro’s obsessed with water lmao. But I love listening to Sabine Hossenfelder, she’s so eloquent and smart.

[hanskloss]

Sabine is nice to watch. No BS, not too much anyway. Comparing with the rest of ccc produce that is a huge difference.
I liked the way the interviewer coped with what I call an intelligence further away.
I also find it interesting that we have no clue what dark matter is but we build theories how it behaves among other things that it behaves like a superfluid.

[Thomas-gk]

Great lady, brave, honest and incredible smart!

[spinorman]

I am very impressed with Dr. Hammonds pursuit of the size question. It is a very natural question. But the size at which we "see" depends on the energy and not the "size" of the probe particle. This is a subtle question. Sabine is an excellent communicator but I thought she could have done better on this question. In this instance she should have pointed out that for this type of question we need to think of the wave nature of particles. High frequency (high energy) particles have very shorth wavelengths. If the wavelength of your probe is very small (very high energy) then you can "see" the target clearly.

[zenbum]

I guess people like Sean Carroll and Brian Greene were unavailable, so this interview had to be conducted by someone who seemed to know only enough modern physics to be dangerous. At times his bumbling, misinformed questions made me cringe. I didn't think I could persist to the end. However, if you stick with it, you might glean some gems from Hossenfelder. Her book has been on my wishlist for a while now; I look forward to reading it.

[vickiezaccardo]

In one of her videos Sabine stated, " We would need technology as big as the Milky Way." I don't recall exactly what that was in reference to, but apparently I don't have to worry about it in my time.