David Albert - What Exists?

Lots of things exist. But what is so absolutely fundamental in that it cannot be further reduced into anything more fundamental, but other things that exist can be reduced to it? The challenge is to discern the minimum number of basic categories that can explain the entirety of existence.

David Z Albert, PhD, is Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy and Director of the MA Program in The Philosophical Foundations of Physics at Columbia University in New York.

Closer to Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, 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.

[david-joeklotz]

Professor Alberts is always brilliant, clear and insightful. Love listening to his interviews

[MarkMach]

Lawrence has been asking some of the most basic yet most profound questions in his channel. This is treasure trove of information here, one of the best channels on youtube tackling the most basic fundamental level. Bravo.

[jareknowak]

Surely: consciousness, probably: outside world.

[jimbo]

Wow. Brings it all together in a very logical way. Thank you RLK for bringing this very important interview to us!

[mauricelevasseur]

I am an avid follower of this series and this interview is one of the very good one. Here complexity meets simplicity in a understandable way. Thanks!

[brothermine]

Bravo to Albert for proposing that the wavefunction represents something that physically exists, and is not just a probability function representing our incomplete knowledge of a system's state.

[dblockbass]

I like how this guy is so careful not to be so suggestive with his answers which shows his sensitivity to other viewpoints but also shows the levity of the question. Hes right to be careful how you answer because that sets the stage for your reality and existence, which I also believes he has a respect and sensitivity for. but I definitely think he subscribes more to a logic driven, deterministic model of the world with an interesting take on the wavefunction.

[pazitor]

In the end, all we have is observation... whatever that is.

[kallianpublico]

What an insightful question. It begs the next question - by what means do we "access" existence?
Is it the case that consciousness is the only means to access existence? Is science: scientific measurement, intimately and variously tied to existence and merely confirmed by consciousness; or is existence confirmed by science but intimately and variously tied to consciousness?
Is existence indicative of reality: reality based, or is existence dispositive of reality: indicative of non-reality?
Which is more fundamental, reality or existence? Are the two isomorphic pairs? The more real the less it exists and the less real the more it exists? Or are the two synonymous pairs? The more real the more it exists, the less real the less it exists.
What is the relationship between existence and change? Are the two mutually exclusive? Are the two inclusive only in the context of reality, or is reality and change inclusive only in the context of existence?

[rickwyant]

I think the real question is what's the best thing to do with the time we have experiencing this.

[zenzen]

Another totally excellent discussion !

[Tails_Trades]

Re-uploaded content I've watched these before. Unless I'm living in a separate timeline where these came out late...

[shadowcult]

Very interesting idea to represent quality without reference to quantity.

[SandipChitale]

Well, when David says very high dimensionality of space, does he mean "space" that has unit of length e.g., cm or meters like our 3 dimensional space? Or does he mean Hilbert Space which is really an abstract mathematical idea i.e. space of many may many independent variables like phase space. I am not a physicist, but I do follow it closely. I was not aware that physics is moving towards very high physical dimensionality of physical space (with units of length). I am aware of 10 or 11 or 26 dimensions proposal by various String theories - where extra ones are curled up or something. I wish David was more precise or Robert had asked for clarification of that. And when scientists/philosophers are not precise they cause more confusion.

[prole]

The only thing we know for sure exists is ourselves

[kallianpublico]

Particles and fields? What happened to motion? Do fields determine motion? What kind of motion? Circular, rectilinear? Are the types of motions more ...discoverable? Is quantum mechanics just a mysterious type of motion? A type of motion beyond the divergence, curl and gradient of electromagnetism but including them?

[waldwassermann]

Beautiful backdrop. Very peaceful. Nice place to be. Where is this? And don’t give me that crap that the universe is not locally real for there is only the real.

[joeterra.t]

I like David, he's the peanut butter to the jelly.

[holgerjrgensen]

No one have Seen Life, No one can deny their own existence,
the life-side is partly Motion,
the Stuff-side is pure Motion.
So, even the Life is Not of any material or physical nature,
it have the most Objective Status in Existence.

[tac]

I really like my electric scooter. There is a bike that has been sitting in front of my apartment all day unlocked I don't feel like finishing what I was planning on writing.