Edward Witten - How Do Scientific Breakthroughs Happen?

What is the process by which scientific breakthroughs come about? What are the ways in which breakthroughs in physics occur? No “formula” for breakthroughs — but what are the principles? Best is to immerse in the experiences and reflections of those who have made or studied breakthroughs. What are their thought processes? What’s the role of curiosity, playfulness, intuition, persistence? How to avoid “group think”?



Edward Witten is an American theoretical physicist and the Charles Simonyi Professor in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study.


Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[CloserToTruthTV]

This interview was filmed for the television show Closer To Truth, broadcast on PBS stations.

[ticcusagram]

Rogans new podcast with Weinstein just sent me to this genius !

[coops]

You know the guys a genius when they employ Einstein to do the interview

[a.lucius]

We’re so lucky to have people like Edward Witten, Roger Penrose, Alan Guth, and Robert Kuhn who lets us have a glimpse of their brilliance.

[josephblumenthal]

If Edward Witten can be so humble I have no excuse. yet another lesson I've learned from him.

[patrickl]

This guy is on another level. You can actually see him trying to dumb it down for us..

[cmalc]

What a strange pleasure it is to listen to someone so ferociously intelligent speaking.

[PollyMatthew]

Something different about Witten. No other physicist I’ve heard seems to have his perspective, concise explanatory ability. He gives the impression of depth and breadth of understanding that is just amazing.

[sluggoslug]

So extremely exact and lucid in his thoughts and the way he expresses them. Different level human.

[darnelljackson]

I just looked Witten up in Wikipedia. His father is *still* alive. He's like 102! Amazing.

[schrodingerscat]

"Some of the more detailed implications of their work were particularly obvious to me." And that's as boastful as Edward Witten ever gets. What a man. And what a great venue for this interview.

[matthuckabey]

This man is super human. The amount of processing power in the room, with this gentleman present, is palpable.

[reimannx]

His articulation is crisp, not mired in buzzwords, and without overreach.

[HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

OK, I kinda get chills listening to Edward Witten’s incredible intellect. You can see and hear the wheels turning, I’m surprised he didn’t have smoke coming out of his ears. I am in awe of minds like these.

[Cincyboy]

Ed’s brother was a high school classmate and friend of mine in Cincinnati. Ed had already graduated when his family came here, but visiting his brother and going to his bar mitzvah, I met Ed several times as a very young man. He was soft spoken and gentle, and I remember thinking I was talking to someone of a different species. Someone from a higher plane is how I would describe it now. I realized 20 years later that I hadn’t just met my friend’s brother, I’d met Edward Witten. Ever since then, I brag to people that I’ve talked to the smartest man in the world. And then I smile to myself when I see that they all assume I’m grossly exaggerating.

[mirazshamshidov]

He's so modest, smart, and I love him.

[markverhoeven]

Pushing the human mind to its furthest reaches. What a guy.

[Bo-tznw]

A beautiful mind!
Time flies, science too . So, now there´s probably no room for a "new Einstein".
If there is, here you have him. Mentioned among most of the physicist today.

[Thor_Asgard_]

probably the smartes person alive. hes outstanding and very underrated in non physicist talks. Every physicist will tell you, this dude is the real deal.

[alexjbriiones]

I am surprised by how well-spoken is Ed Witten and how clear he is in his explanation. Even I can understand what he is talking about. Eric Weinstein said the other day that he was terrified of Ed Witten because he is so much like God in the physics universe.